ࡱ> BDA3 &3bjbj &F&/l4444444H     4HXXXXX333Y[[[[[[$ f433333G44XXGGG34X4X!8G3YGG!44!XL G"XLOH I!!0!_!GHH4444FULTON COUNTY COUNCIL 2009 BUDGET HEARING August 19, 2008, 8:00 A.M., E.D.T., in the Assembly Room of the Fulton County Office Building. Hearing Called To Order: President James Widman opened the Hearing. Members present were Judy DeVries, Earl Gaerte, James Widman, Gary Sriver, David Helt, Christopher Sailors, Kathy Siders, Denise J. Chandler, County Auditor, and Penny Bramble, 1st Deputy. Wages: The Council found that there are 27 pay dates in 2009. It was felt that with a 3% raise and adding an additional paycheck would provide significant pay raise that the County cant afford. They discussed whether to give a 3% pay raise to 08s salary and divide it by 27 pays; just add a 27th pay; or provide no raise at all due to the drastic cuts that will need to be made for 09s budget. Auditor: The Council discussed the wage distribution in the Auditors proposed budget. They changed the wages back to the 08 amounts. City of Rochester: Clerk-Treasurer Carla Smith provided the Council the proposed Rochester City budget. Sheriff Department: Sheriff Walker Conley described his workforce and proposed budget. Treasurer: Judy Reed noted that her budget was nearly the same as last years except for salary increases. She described some changes that will be mandated from the State level. Recess at 9:35 a.m. Reconvene at 10:00 a.m. FEDCO: Executive Director Shane Blair reported a slight decrease in Fedcos proposed budget due to additional income. The Council asked Shane to provide information regarding Fedcos available funds. County Assessor: Assessor Susan Carr reported that her proposed budget is increased due to her need for additional staff since the office is receiving additional responsibilities. There are currently five full-time staffers in her office. She combined the township assessor budgets with her budget, since the township assessors are being eliminated and her office is taking those responsibilities. Airport: Jim Ewen said the Airport hired Umbaugh & Assoc to help create the budget. He said the DLGF recommended a budget for the next ten years. The fuel budget is $150,000; personal services budget is $150,600. He described a couple of the projects currently underway: the shifting of a runway to avoid tree growth, the construction of a building to store snow removal equipment. Richland Township: Charles Riddle said the salary for the Township Trustee was left at $3,100. Stationery and office supplies and postage line items were cut. The cemetery budget was increased from $2,300 to $3,300 for required maintenance. The total proposed budget is $41,250. Recess at 11:05 a.m. Reconvene at 11:20 a.m. Purdue Extension Service: Mark Kepler said the only increases in his proposed budget are for personnel and equipment. He reported the need for a new copier. There was discussion regarding the advantages of purchasing a copier versus leasing one. Recess @ 1:15 p.m. Reconvene @ 1:30 p.m. Fulton County Public Library: Director Linn Landis presented four budgets for the Fulton County Public Library: operating, debt service for the building in Rochester, library improvement reserve fund and rainy day fund. She said there is $36,100 in the rainy day fund. The general operating fund for 2009 is proposed at $1,392,236, which also includes the former library capital projects, which is $120,000 in the proposed budget. She said that she has met with the architect for the new building in Leiters Ford, which should be completed in the spring/summer of 2009. Aubeenaubbee Township: Carol Chilean said there are four funds in the budget: Township operating fund is $22,000; cemetery upkeep is $12,000; poor relief is $5,000; fire coverage is $4,700 for a total of $86,000. She said this is within $2,000 to $3,000 of last years budget. The Council discussed the Corner Perpetuation Fund briefly. EMS: Dave Cholger projected operating revenues of $998,591. From that write offs are estimated at $558,202, approximately 50% of the revenue. Salary expenses are estimated at $579,656; additional expenses are $930,000. This would come to an expected loss of $485,815. He said this could change based upon patient mix. 47% is expected to be Medicare patients, 12% Medicaid, 24% commercial insurance, 7% Blue Cross and 10% private pay. He noted that they do not get 100% pay from any of those categories. The Board proposes a 6% rate increase for ambulance runs with an estimated 1,300 billable runs. The Council discussed an issue with transporting patients from one hospital to another or to the nursing home. Dave reported that through July 80% of the runs to Rochester Township; 27 billable runs, 14 non-billable runs to Aubbeenaubbee Township; Henry 59 billable, 28 non-billable; Liberty 22 billable, 11 non-billable; Newcastle 7 billable, 6 non-billable; Richland 10 billable, 3 non-billable; Rochester 511 billable, 120 non-billable; Union 20 billable, 11 non-billable; Wayne 7 billable, 10 non-billable; Other 15 billable, 3 non-billable. Recess at 3:20 p.m. Reconvene at 3:40 p.m. The Council discussed the possibility of providing an across-the-board pay raise instead of a percentage increase. The Council discussed the pay of those employees in the prosecutors office. The Council discussed how to deal with there being 27 pays in 2009 versus the usual 26 pays per year, since most County employees are salaried employees. The Council discussed the Tourism Committee and its grants to various entities. The Park Board proposed budget was briefly discussed. The Council had questions regarding the expenditures for the Tobacco Grant Fund. Recess at 4:30 p.m. Reconvene at 8:05 a.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2008. All Council members present. 2008 Budget Adjustments: Gary Sriver moved to restate the budget numbers and remove the additional required amount from EMS to balance the budget for last year. Dave Helt seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0. $199,000 will be taken from EMS and $1.2 million from Employee Health. Circuit Court: Judge Morton said that he had planned to propose the same as proposed for 2008, but the General Assembly changed things, specifically with juvenile changes. He needed to build in specific line items as required for juvenile funding. He noted other changed needed pursuant to changes in technology. He noted claims coming from damage from a recent thunderstorm. He noted that due to the storm damage and his lack of diligence in keeping on top of equipment needs he anticipates future expenditures in that area. He said that he has tried to address some of this in his proposed budget. He also anticipates additional jury trials due to having a new judge and the transition with that. He notes approximately four to six jury trials per year currently. He said there were more in his early years with periods of higher number occasionally. He reported that Linda Walters last day would be October 31, 2008. He has offered to hire and train for the seven weeks remaining in the year the election winners employee of choice. He noted that he intends to be a senior judge for at least four years and noted that his robe is the property of the County. He offered to buy it from the County. Mill Creek Conservancy District: Janice Koch noted that this proposed budget is the same as last year and the year before. Highway Department: Superintendent Dave Tofson and the Council discussed the various highway budgets. He reported savings with the department working the four ten-hour shifts per week versus five ten-hour shifts. He reported increased cost and decreased availability of salt. He is looking into using a sand mix for an alternative. Tobacco Grant: Coordinator Linda Peterson answered some questions of the Council. Peterson noted that this is grant money that will be returned if it is not used as of June 30, 2009, so the approach for this budget is different than that of taxpayers money. Recess @ 9:50 a.m. Reconvene @ 10:10 a.m. Commissioner Budget: Roger Rose described the necessary increases in the proposed budget. Denise described the increased requirements in the publishing of legals. He described the cost for the work on the personnel policy and anticipated consulting fees in 2009. He discussed the need and the cost for an animal shelter. The Council decided to remove from the Circuit Court budget the following: $2,500 for judge; $5,000 for alternative school; $60,000 for detention center; $7,500 for juvenile evaluation; and $50 for laundry. E911: Director Steve Reese discussed an audit that is affecting the 2009 budget. State mandates are requiring changes in the ways the E911 funds are spent and funds established. Funds will need to be transferred to comply for the remainder of 2008. He reported no other major changes in the proposed budget for 2009. 2009 Budget Ruling: Chris Sailors moved that any time a fund could have the PERF, social security and/or the health and dental insurance costs paid from it, it should be moved out of county general. Judy DeVries seconded the motion. Motion carried 3-0. Mark Rodriguez said that he is working with an IT Group and asked that the money budgeted for such expenditures be reserved. The Council took a tour of the Sheriffs Annex Building at 11:25 a.m. 2009 Wage Increase: Wage increases were discussed. Kathy Siders moved to provide $1,000 raise across the board for full-time employees for 2008 wages. Earl Gaerte seconded the motion. Motion carried 5 1 1 (Gary Sriver against; Chris Sailors abstained). 2008/2009 Wage Freeze: The Council discussed paying all new hires at the 2007 rate for that position. Kathy Siders moved to place all new hires at the 2007 pay rate for their jobs on an 8% reduction of wages for the probationary period of six months effective September 1, 2008, through December 31, 2009; and this will be addressed again at budget time next year. Gary Sriver seconded the motion. Motion carried 7-0. A memo will need to be sent to department heads so that all are aware of this policy, though this will need to be implemented by the Commissioners as policy. It was agreed that the department head may still ask for a waiver of the probationary period, when it is felt to be appropriate, as has been done in the past. Recess @ 12:45 p.m. Reconvene @ 1:30 p.m. 2009 Part-time/Extra Help: After some discussion, the Council decided to provide a 1.5% increase over 2008 wages for part-time and extra help. The Council said to leave the Merit Board at 2008 wages, and down 1.5% for extra help, overtime, holiday comp and overtime merit deputies. The budget book was reviewed page by page. The Council discussed with Commissioner Roger Rose the possibility of going to a four-day work week for those offices in the County Office Building and the Clerks office with a staggered schedule, though the Commissioners need to make any policy change. The Council wants to be considered a work week of 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Thursday as soon as the Commissioners could implement such a policy. This will be placed on the next Commissioners agenda for review. The Council will meet on Friday, September 5, 2008, at 8 a.m. to review and approve the proposed 2009 budget. This concluded the business conducted. At 2:55 p.m Judy DeVries moved to recess the general budget meeting until September 5, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. Kathy Siders seconded this motion. Motion passed 7-0. Meeting recessed. FULTON COUNTY COUNCIL _______________________________ James Widman, President _______________________________ David Helt, Vice-President _______________________________ Gary Sriver, Member _______________________________ Kathy Siders, Member _______________________________ Christopher Sailors, Member _______________________________ Earl Gaerte, Member _____________________________ Judy DeVries, Member Attest: __________________________________ Denise J. 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