The Chippewa County Board of
Commissioners met at
Present: Commissioners: Ted Postula, Don Cooper, Rita Dale, Aaron
Hopper, Jim Moore and Chairman Earl Kay
Absent: Richard Timmer
Also Present: Don and Chris McLean, Scott Brand, Brian
Peppler, Prosecuting Attorney, Ron Cross, Jeff Moran, Sheriff, Barbara Fortin,
Mary Susan Nelson, Tina Ojala, Jim Lucas, MSU Extension Agent, Lisa Wilcox,
Jeannie Goeschel, Mary Piralli, Norma Osborn, Cindy Morley, Vicki Gage, Cheryl
Jones, Sharon Kennedy, Register of Deeds/Equalization Director, Lowell Ulrich,
Probate Court Judge, Gail Shunk, Tim Dolehanty, Controller and Diane Cork,
County Clerk
It was moved by Commissioner
Cooper, supported by Commissioner Postula, to acknowledge the correspondence
received in the Clerk’s Office, and if necessary, forward to the appropriate
committee. On a voice vote, the motion
carried.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to approve the
Page 6, paragraph 4 should
read “On discussion, Commissioner Cooper asked if these individuals were County
employees and if so, he felt it looked bad that the Commissioner was asking
departments to cut their budgets and turned around and gave the dispatchers a
20% raise.”
With this correction, the
motion to approve the minutes carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
Don McLean read the following
statement:
At last month’s Hiawatha
Behavioral Health meeting here in the Sault, the board reviewed and reapproved
the Agency’s Code of Ethics.
This was of particular
interest to us as we have continually questioned their ethics as they have
diverted money intended for treatment of the mentally ill into college tuition
for employees, employee bonuses, staff recognition luncheons, landscaping,
staff retirement parties and SUV’s for the top management; to mention just a
few.
Their policy mentions the
highest standards of accountability for administration, personal behavior,
detection of fraud and includes board members.
Using this criteria we
formally asked the HBH board to see:
(1.)
if the HBH manager violated this Code of Ethics, when at a public
meeting of the HBH
board she accused someone of
lying.
(2.)
the Code of Ethics was violated when a former HBH board member, and
chairman of
Finance Committee, individually and
independently negotiated what some would consider
a lavish, unnecessary and untimely retirement
package for the HBH CEO just before this
member was not reappointed to the
board.
(3.)
the HBH CEO violated this Code of Ethics when he refused to provide the
Chippewa
this since the HBH record release
policy indicates it was adopted n
three months after Karen died of
untreated mental illnesses.
We are very interested in
these Ethics instances and ask the
Also, in a conversation with
Sheriff Jeff Moran, he mentioned the difficulties he was having maintaining
services in the county when he had to transport HBH clients to
We would suggest that our HBH
board members, or this county commission, ask HBH to place
Our daughter, Karen, received
care from both Marquette General and the Petoskey unit and we found them to be
equal.
This accommodation would cut
travel time in half for both types of placement; thus, reducing the county’s
cost and the strain on the sheriff’s department in their effort to provide
services for the county.
In our dealing with HBH, we
have found the top management to be less than honest. We believe both the check on the Ethics
violations and shifting our county residents to Petoskey would be progress in
improving HBH management operations and improving services to Chippewa County
residents.
Norma Osborn, 4-H leader,
addressed the board stating that she realized the County was in a financial
situation that calls for drastic action and she understood that cuts had to be
made to balance the budget, but what she did not understand was the process to
determine what actions are going to be taken.
By reading the minutes on the County’s website she noticed that
positions were being filled and raises had been given.
Ms. Osborn informed the
Commission that 4-H has been in the area since 1928 and has been funded through
the County and MSU. Ms. Osborn was
urging the Board to find someway to fund the 4-H Program for the youth of
Chippewa County.
Chris McLean read the
following statement:
My husband and I have been
coming to these meetings since 1997. We
have not missed a meeting in the past 39 months. We have asked, petitioned, given legitimate
facts and support to substantiate the fact that Hiawatha Behavioral Health is
not using tax payer dollars in a manner that provides quality services of
Chippewa County residents. From the very
start, we contended the agency is self-serving and that contention hasn’t
changed.
Last month tax payers
received another slap in the face by HBH management, when the agency decided to
purchase 2 new vehicles. It was reported,
a Ford mini-van for $21,495 was being purchased for use with clients; the other
vehicle, a Ford Luxury Expedition for $28,278 was needed for employee use.
When a board member asked why
they needed luxury vehicle instead of a lesser expensive model, tax payers
received slap number one when it was explained that the Expedition provided
more safety for staff. We can put
clients in a lesser vehicle but not staff????
Most taxpayers can’t afford luxury 4X4’s. When Mr. Keilhorn from the DCH visited in
April, he and his co-worker traveled from Lansing in a Chevy Cavilier provided
by the State of Michigan. This
non-luxury, tax payer type car seemed acceptable to him.
Another board member asked if
this purchase was adding vehicles to the agency fleet and the taxpayers
received slap number 2, as it was explained the HBH was simply replacing aged
vehicles, that one car had been traded in and the other was going to be used at
the Drop In Center. HBH started with two
vehicles, only one was traded in and HBH ended the deal with three
vehicles. There was an addition to the
agency fleet. Now when the Drop In
Center van, which is already too dilapidated for regular agency use, is completely
shot it will have to be replaced.
Only three board members, Mr.
Kay, Mr. LaJoie, and Mr. Beadle had the foresight to see what was going on and
vote no. The rest of the HBH board
simply okayed the nonsense without a second thought.
At a time when nearly all tax
supported agencies are tightening their budgets, HBH spends exorbitant amounts
on frivolous frills as new furniture, landscaping, interior decorations and
staff parties.
It is time this board
initiated some action to formally communicate with the County Commissioners in
Schoolcraft and Mackinac to see that HBH serves the residents of the three
counties in a comparable manner in which they serve the managerial staff.
Mr. Keilhorn led us to
believe the Commissions don’t have any control over HBH as it is an agency, but
that is simply an easy out. The
Commissioners place members on the HBH board to represent the residents of
their county; it is time the Commissioners insist that these board members look
out for those county residents who are unable to take care for themselves
rather than go along with feathering the managerial nest of a tax supported
agency.
Margaret Merchberger read the
4-H motto and stated that 4-H teaches children to make valuable choices and
develops their minds to grow up to responsible adults. Ms. Merchberger was encouraging the Commission
to use their ability and wisdom to find the funds to support the 4-H position.
CONTROLLER’S REPORT – Tim
Dolehanty
It was moved by Commissioner
Hopper, supported by Commissioner Dale, to support the U.P. Area Agency on
Aging FY 2005 Annual Implementation Plan as presented to the Board. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
Through a memo, Dave
Carpenter, Finance Director, requested permission to set up an account through
the Chippewa County Credit Union to be used for electronic transfer of payments
for the Swanson products used by the Chippewa County Correctional
Facility. Swanson has gone to this
payment system country wide.
It was moved by Commissioner
Moore, supported by Commissioner Dale, that an account be opened at the
Chippewa County Credit Union to be used for electronic transfer payments for
the Swanson products utilized by the Chippewa County Correctional
Facility. On a voice vote, the motion
carried.
Discussion was held on the
proposed revenue sharing proposal.
Commissioner Cooper thought the County Board should go on record
opposing this proposal.
OLD BUSINESS: None
STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Personnel – Rita Dale – No
meeting
Equalization &
Apportionment – Jim Moore – No meeting
Health & Social Services
– Ted Postula – No meeting
Building, Grounds & Jail
– Earl Kay – No meeting
Transportation – Ted Postula
– No meeting
Legislative & Natural
Resources – Richard Timmer – No meeting
Computer Committee – Don
Cooper – No meeting
Finance, Claims &
Accounts – Rita Dale – Meeting of May
19, 2004
This report was for
informational purposes only. The agenda
items included potential 2004 budget rescissions for the Register of
Deeds/Equalization Department, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff and Circuit Court. No action items necessary.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Hopper, to accept the report of the Finance,
Claims and Accounts Committee meeting of May 19, 2004. On a voice vote, the motion carried
unanimously.
Finance, Claims &
Accounts meeting of May 27, 2004
This report was for
informational purposes only. The agenda
items included potential 2004 budget rescissions for District Court, Probate
Court/Circuit Court Family Division, County Clerk and Public Defender offices. No action items necessary.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Moore, to accept the report of the Finance,
Claims and Accounts Committee meeting of May 27, 2004. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
Finance, Claims & Accounts
meeting of June 7, 2004
This report was for
informational purposes only. The agenda
items included potential 2004 budget rescissions for the County Treasurer, MSU
Extension, County Surveyor, Drain Commissioner/Building Inspections, Veterans
Affairs and Controller. No action items
necessary.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to accept the report of the Finance,
Claims and Accounts Committee meeting of June 7, 2004.
On discussion, Commissioner
Cooper clarified that the 4-H position was not eliminated and there is still
some funding.
On a voice vote, the motion
to accept the report carried.
Finance, Claims &
Accounts meeting of June 10, 2004
Health Office/Medical
Director Dr. James Terrian presented a revised draft copy of the Clean Indoor
Air Ordinance. He noted changes made on
page six and the supplemental footnote that exempt the specially-constructed
smoking lounge at the Chippewa County International Airport from the provisions
of the ordinance. The procedure to
formally adopt the ordinance was also discussed.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Moore to recommend the Clean Indoor Air
Ordinance be forwarded for adoption consideration, following the proper
procedures.
On a voice vote, the motion
carried with Commissioner Cooper voting no.
The Committee reviewed an
amendment to the Friend of the Court Title IV Cooperative Reimbursement Program
contract that would increase the cumulative total amount of the current
agreement by $12,241.00
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Cooper, to recommend approval of the Friend of
the Court title IV Cooperative Reimbursement Program contract amendment as
presented. On a voice vote, the motion
carried.
Controller Tim Dolehanty
presented a summary of sealed bids received for the sale of surplus vehicles
maintained by the Sheriff’s Department.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Moore, to recommend acceptance of the quote
submitted by Aaron LaMay for the purchase of four surplus vehicles at a price
of $5,026.00. On a voice vote, the
motion carried.
A request for support of a
grant for treatment services for felony drunk drivers, submitted by Community
Corrections Coordinator David Murray, was reviewed by the Committee.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to recommend approval of Resolution
04-12 in support of the felony drunk driver services grant. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF GRANT
APPLICATION FOR
COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS FELONY DRUNK
DRIVER PROGRAM
WHEREAS, the
Eastern Upper Peninsula Community Corrections Advisory Board (EUPCCAB) seeks to receive additional
grant money for treatment services for felony
drunk drivers for fiscal year 2004 and fiscal year 2005; and
WHEREAS, the
EUPCCAB has been approved to receive $7,965.00 to pay for treatment of certain felony drunk drivers for fiscal
year 2004, with approximately $10,800 earmarked
for the program in fiscal year 2005; and
WHEREAS, funds
under this program will supplement funds already received for the Community Corrections program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners records its support for this
grant program to reduce the number of drunk
drivers who endanger our lives, and respectfully requests that the Application be approved as presented.
Controller Dolehanty briefly
discussed the fiscal year 2003 audit report.
He stated the auditor was not able to meet before the board meeting, but
the audit must be accepted before June 30.
Mr. Dolehanty suggested that the board receive the audit report, and
that a subsequent meeting be scheduled with the auditor to review the report.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Moore, to recommend acceptance of the audit
report and that a meeting be scheduled with the auditor to review the report.
It was moved by Commissioner
Cooper to make an amendment to the above motion to accept the audit report and
to add, put a copy on reserve at the Bayliss Public Library and also post a
copy to the website. This amended motion
was supported by Commissioner Moore. On
a voice vote, the amended motion carried.
On a voice vote, the original
motion with the amendment carried.
Controller Dolehanty
presented recommendations for amending the 2004 budget to assure expenses do
not exceed revenue at the end of the year.
He noted the proposal avoided lay-off of current employees, but would
require employee five furlough days and a 50% reduction in the cash value of
sick days. Mr. Dolehanty added that the
courts would have to approve the plan, and the sick day reduction would require
concurrence with the AFSCME collective bargaining units. He added that state law prohibited reduction
of salaries paid to elected officials at this time.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to recommend acceptance of the fiscal
year 2004 budget amendments as proposed
Commissioner Cooper asked if
this motion was approved, would it include new fees as discussed for building
permit travel, animal adoption fees and the cat relinquish fee. Mr. Dolehanty stated these fees would be included.
Commissioner Cooper stated that the
Commission asked all departments to cut 8.05% from their budgets, some
departments did and some did not. Now we
are asking employees to take 5 furlough days on top of the cuts that some
departments made. He didn’t feel that
this was fare and what happens if the furlough days are not taken.
Mr. Dolehanty pointed out
that Commissioner Cooper sat through all the presentations made by the
departments and heard that some departments had nothing to cut except employees
and he felt the proposal submitted was fair.
Discussion was held on
departments going over budget without approval and being noted as a weakness in
the audit report.
Judge Ulrich reiterated what
had already been said. His department
with revenue enhancement and/or reductions exceeded the requested cut in the
amount of $72,875 and now he was being asked to add to this a 5 day
furlough. This seemed fundamentally
unfair. He felt that the County Board,
from the standpoint of leadership, should set an example.
Brian Peppler, Prosecuting
Attorney, was unclear as to what figure needed to be cut from his budget. It was his understanding that $33,900 was to
be cut from his department and now he finds that the figure is closer to
$50,000 and that his people must take 5 furlough days each and a secretarial
position was not going to be filled. Mr.
Peppler was asking for equity and asked the Commissioners to allow him to run
his office the way it should be run.
It was noted to Sheriff Moran
that the 5 furlough days did not include any 24-7 offices.
Sharon Kennedy, Register of
Deeds/Equalization Director, stated she had a shared position in her offices
that had not been replaced and both offices had been working a 40 hour week.
Originally Ms. Kennedy submitted a proposal to give up her $5,000 Equalization
salary along with monetary cuts to maintain the 40 hours and not replace the
position. With the mandatory furlough
days on top of this, she was withdrawing her proposal.
Diane Cork, County Clerk,
responded to Commissioner Cooper’s concerns about revenue generated in her
office. She stated she will accept the
furlough days, but if the staff is cut, the work will not get done and any revenue
generated by collection of past due fees will not be collected.
Jeannie Goeschel, County
Clerk employee, expressed her concern with loosing a day’s work per month and
not being able to keep up with job responsibilities and felt that all employees
should be treated equally when determining hours of work. She reminded the Commissioners that we all
work for the public and services needed to be there for them.
Discussion was held on
Commissioners travel, per diem, furlough days and layoffs
On a roll call vote to adopt
the 2004 budget amendments as proposed:
Commissioner Cooper, no; Commissioner Dale, no; Commissioner Hopper, no;
Commissioner Moore, no; Commissioner Postula, yes; Chairman Kay, no. The motion failed.
Finance Director Dave Carpenter
reviewed a request from Judge Nicholas Lambros and Judge Lowell Ulrich to
create a separate cost center for the Juvenile Division of the Circuit
Court. Although the Juvenile Division
would have its own cost center, it would remain under the supervision of the
Circuit Court in order to remain consistent with State statues. Mr. Carpenter presented a budget amendment to
accomplish this request.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Cooper, to concur with the recommendation of
the Finance Director to create the Circuit Court Juvenile Division cost center
as presented. On a voice vote, the
motion carried.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to recommend the approval of general
fund claims totaling $211,645.55, other fund claims of $302,792.09, payroll of
$516,669.09 and health department claims of $373,385.79, total claims of
$1,404,492.52, vouchers 35958 through 36181 and F-1 through F-186. On a voice vote the motion carried.
It was moved by Commissioner
Dale, supported by Commissioner Postula, to accept the report of the Finance,
Claims and Accounts Committee meeting of June 10, 2004 as presented. On a voice vote, the motion carried.
NEW BUSINESS:
Chairman Kay made three
appointments to the Audit Committee as follows:
Rita Dale, Chairperson, Don Cooper and Earl Kay
Chairman Kay made four
appointments to the Judicial and Board Liaison Committee as follows:
Aaron Hopper, Earl Kay,
Richard Timmer and Lowell Ulrich. This
committee will establish lines of communication between the Courts and County
Board. Commissioner Hopper asked if the
County Board should appoint the Prosecuting Attorney to this committee. Mr. Dolehanty will research this request.
Commissioner Postula stated
one hundred years ago a piece of property was given to Chippewa County and
about 15 years ago, it was given to the Raber Sportsman’s Club with
restrictions that the property cannot be sold.
With everybody looking for money, Raber Township assessed the property
and the property is going delinquent for about $1,000 and before it gets out of
hand he would like the Prosecuting Attorney to look into this.
Having no further business,
it was moved by Commissioner Postula, supported by Commissioner Hopper to
adjourn. On a voice vote, the motion
carried and the Board did adjourn at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Diane S. Cork, Clerk
Earl Kay, Chairman