COUNTY SERVICES

Approved 11/21/06

COUNTY SERVICES

November 7, 2006

Minutes

Members Present: Andy Schor, Debbie DeLeon, Dianne Holman, Dale Copedge, Mike Severino and Don Vickers

Members Absent: None

Others Present: Ed Dore, Jared Cypher, Harold Hailey, Vicki Harrison, Steve Dawes, Sally Auer, Rob Mays, Sheriff Wriggelsworth, Eric Schertzing, Dr. Sienko, Matthew Myers, Terry Scurleoch, Roberta Hamlin, Debbie Miller, Darryl Diamond, John McGlintchey, Tony Lindsey, Chris Corgan, Brad Johnson and others

The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Schor at 7:04 p.m. in the Personnel Conference Room of the Human Services Building, 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing.

Approval of the October 17, 2006 Minutes

MOVED BY COMM. DELEON, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HOLMAN, TO APPROVE THE OCTOBER 17 MINUTES AS SUBMITTED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

(The Committee will approve the Executive Session Minutes at its next meeting.)

Additions to the Agenda

4. Fair Board – Informational Item – Fair Board By-Laws – This item was rescheduled for this Committee’s next meeting.

3. Sheriff’s Office – Performance Evaluation Review

Limited Public Comment: None

MOVED BY COMM. SEVERINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. VICKERS, TO APPROVE A CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:

2a. County Treasurer – Resolution to Reorganize Ingham County Treasurer’s Office

4. Health Department

a. Resolution to Appoint Dennis Jurczak, M.D. and D. Bonta Hiscoe, M.D. as Deputy Medical Directors and Deputy Medical Examiners and to Authorize Employment Contracts

b. Resolution to Authorize an Agreement with the College of Nursing and Establish a Health Center Administrator Position

6. County Services Committee – Resolution Requiring Certain Advisory Boards, Commissions and Committees that Evaluate Employees to Submit the Evaluations to the Ingham County Board of Commissioners

Chairperson Schor addressed agenda item 2b. He stated the County Attorney has already determined the transfer can be renewed on an annual basis. Comm. Vickers asked about the status of a White Oak Township property. Mr. Schertzing stated the Land Bank is holding the property for sale for a public purpose.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

MOVED BY COMM. SEVERINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. VICKERS, TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

1. Human Resources – Grievance

Mr. Hailey informed the Committee the Assistant Director would speak on behalf of the Director during this item.

MOVED BY COMM. DELEON, SUPPORTED BY COMM. COPEDGE, TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING GRIEVANCE. MOTION APPROVED BY THE FOLLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS, COMMS. SCHOR, DELEON, HOLMAN, COPEDGE, SEVERINO AND VICKERS.

(The Committee returned to Regular Session at 8:30 p.m.)

Chairperson Schor reminded the parties to this item that the discussion held in Closed Session is confidential.

Comm. DeLeon stated this is a tough issue; however, she would propose a motion for this Committee’s consideration.

MOVED BY COMM. DELEON, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HOLMAN, TO GRANT THE GRIEVANCE. MOTION FAILED with Comms. Schor, Severino and Vickers voting NO.

Chairperson Schor stated this Committee encourages staff to work with the union and the employee to come to a compromise. Hopefully something can be agreed to prior to arbitration.

2b. County Treasurer – Resolution to Transfer all Unsold Tax Reverted Properties Rejected by Local Units to the Ingham County Land Bank Fast Track Authority

Mr. Schertzing explained that tax reverted property not previously sold by the Ingham County Treasurer shall be transferred to the city, village or township in which the property is located. The exception to this is parcels of property to which the city, the village or the township has objected to in accordance with 1999 PA 123, MCL 211.78M(6). Parcels rejected by the municipalities become the property of the County. This Resolution would authorize the Controller to take appropriate action to transfer all rejected property to the Land Bank. Mr. Schertzing further stated a process would be set up to automatically transfer rejected property to the Ingham County Land Bank.

Comm. DeLeon requested an amendment to the first BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED paragraph of the Resolution to indicate the process would be approved on an annual basis.

MOVED BY COMM. SEVERINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. DELEON, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO TRANSFER ALL UNSOLD TAX REVERTED PROPERTIES REJECTED BY LOCAL UNITS TO THE INGHAM COUNTY LAND BANK FAST TRACK AUTHORITY.

MOVED BY COMM. DELEON, SUPPORTED BY COMM. SEVERINO, TO AMEND THE FIRST BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED PARAGRAPH TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, THAT THIS RESOLUTION SHALL BE RENEWED ANNUALLY.

MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

Mr. Schertzing informed the Committee that this should be reauthorized by year end each year.

(The Committee recessed at 8:41 p.m.)

(The Committee was called back to order at 8:48 p.m.)

3. Sheriff’s Office – Performance Evaluation – Review

MOVED BY COMM. SEVERINO, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HOLMAN, TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE PERFORMAN EVALUATION. THE MOTION WAS APPROVED WITH THE FOLLOWING ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS, COMMS. SCHOR, DELEON, HOLMAN, COPEDGE, SEVERINO AND VICKERS.

(The Committee returned to Regular Session at 9:34 p.m.)

Comm. Severino stated this Committee will look favorably upon Ms. Harrison’s request for an additional six months of severance benefits. He then complimented Ms. Harrison on her service to Ingham County.

5. Controller’s Office – Resolution Authorizing 2007 Agreements for Community Agencies

MOVED BY COMM. HOLMAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. SEVERINO, TO FUND URBAN OPTIONS AT $7,000 AND TO FUND THE INGHAM CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT $28,000.

MOVED BY COMM. DELEON, SUPPORTED BY COMM. COPEDGE, TO AMEND THE MOTION TO FUND URBAN OPTIONS AT $7,000 AND TO FUND THE INGHAM CONSERVATION DISTRICT AT $23,035.

Ms. Gowe, Urban Options, informed the Committee that Urban Options was able to leverage additional funds due to the financial support from the County this past year. The need for this service is great within the community. Ms. Gowe stated Urban Options is struggling to keep its doors open. The goal of Urban Options is that its services will not be needed in the near future. Urban Options is requesting and receiving funding from other jurisdictions.

Ms. Gowe spoke regarding the Energy Fitness Program that is being provided in cooperation with the City of Lansing and local neighborhood groups. She then spoke about Urban Options’ Ingham County Education & Outreach Program.

Comm. Vickers asked if the County’s funds are commingled with the Energy Fitness Program. Ms. Gowe stated County funds are not appropriated to the Program.

Ms. Corgan, Ingham Conservation District, stated the District was set up in 1994 with a goal of ensuring that County residents receive benefits from the state and federal governments.

Comm. DeLeon stated funding cuts are coming and our community cannot afford to fund programs which do not address the residents’ basic needs. Ingham County has a responsibility to provide a safety net for residents in need.

Comm. Holman stated the purpose of financially assisting the community agencies is to help our residents. The function of the community agencies is not purely to meet basic needs. Ingham Conservation District is the only conservation agency that received funding from the County.

Comm. Severino stated the County should take a holistic approach to what the community agencies provide to the residents. People have many different needs and the community agencies assist with many of those needs. The Ingham Conservation District does impact the long-term health of the County.

Comm. DeLeon asked if the Ingham Conservation District could operate with the funding level she indicated in her proposed amendment. Ms. Corgan stated the District always works within its budget. Last year’s funding put the District in a bind and an employee had to be laid off.

Comm. Copedge asked if this Committee lowered its funding level for the District if the additional funds would be appropriated to Capital Area Community Services, per Comm. DeLeon’s intent.

Comm. Vickers stated he would vote against the proposed amendment. He voted to reduce funding for the District in the 2006 budget process. County residents have many needs, and some of those needs are met through the District. Comm. Severino stated the District requested $29,000 in the 2006 budget process and only received $20,400. The District’s services do impact the lives of the residents.

Chairperson Schor stated he will vote against the proposed amendment. The Human Services Committee cut the funding level for the returning Community Agencies by 5%. Ele’s Place received its requested funding because it requested less than the previous year. He then stated he agrees the County residents do have real needs. The entire community agency process should be handled by the Finance Committee. Until the community agency process is changed, Chairperson Schor stated he could not support reducing the funding level for the District again.

MOTION TO AMEND FAILED with Comm. DeLeon voting YES.

MAIN MOTION CARRIED with Comm. DeLeon voting NO.

Comm. Copedge stated, as a member of the DEQ, he is very much aware of the work that is conducted by the Ingham Conservation District. Funding for the District is going toward a good cause.

Announcements: None

Public Comment: None

The meeting adjourned at 10:04 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Debra Neff