Approved 7/18/07
FINANCE COMMITTEE
June 20, 2007
Minutes
Members Present: Victor Celentino, Tina Weatherwax-Grant, Curtis Hertel, Todd Tennis and Steve Dougan
Members Absent: Mark Grebner
Others Present: Teri Morton, Lou Stadt, Tom VanDerWoude, Janeil Valentine, Doug Stover, Sue Pigg, Mary Ruttan, Jaeson Fournier, Diana Torres-Burgos, Jim Paparella, Mike Botke and Karen Beauregard
The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Celentino at 6:02 p.m. in the Personnel Conference Room of the Human Services Building, 5303 S. Cedar, Lansing.
Approval of the June 6, 2007 Minutes
MOVED BY COMM. DOUGAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. TENNIS, TO APPROVE THE JUNE 6 MINUTES AS SUBMITTED. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comms. Grebner and Weatherwax-Grant
Additions to the Agenda
11c. Community Agency appropriations as follows:
$75,000 for Child and Family Services
$30,000 for Dispute Resolution Center
$40,000 for Lansing Teen Court
$ 5,000 for LMTS
13. Fair Board – Resolution Authorizing an Adjustment to the 2007 Capital Improvement Budget for Ingham County Fairgrounds
14. Board of Commissioners – Resolution Honoring Latisha Heath
(Comm. Weatherwax-Grant arrived at approximately 6:05 p.m.)
Limited Public Comment: None
MOVED BY COMM. DOUGAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HERTEL, TO APPROVE A CONSENT AGENDA FOR THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:
2. Sheriff’s Office
a. Resolution Authorizing Ingham County to Enter into a One (1) Year Inter-Local Agreement with the City of East Lansing and Lansing to Share Proceeds from the 2007 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Award
b. Resolution Authorizing the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office to Dispose of Four Motorola Radios to the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office
3. Ingham County Treasurer
a. Resolution Making Limited Tax Pledge for Ingham County Land Bank Fast Track Authority Series 2007A Note
b. Resolution Making Limited Tax Pledge for Ingham County Land Bank Fast Track Authority Series 2007B Note
c. Resolution to Utilize the County’s Option to Acquire Tax Foreclosed Property
d. Resolution to Transfer Acquired Tax Reverted Properties to the Ingham County Land Bank Fast Track Authority
4. Health Department
a. Resolution to Authorize the Establishment of a Community Health Representative II Position within Healthy Smiles Unit of the Health Department
b. Resolution to Authorize an Agreement with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine for Ambulatory Outpatient HIV/AIDS Services
11b. Controller’s Office – Resolution Authorizing a Contract with Plante & Moran for 911 Center Consultant Services and Subcontract with East Lansing
13. Fair Board – Resolution Authorizing an Adjustment to the 2007 Capital Improvement Budget for Ingham County Fairgrounds
14. Board of Commissioners – Resolution Honoring Latisha Heath
MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comm. Grebner
MOVED BY COMM. DOUGAN, SUPPORTED BY COMM. HERTEL, TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comm. Grebner
11a. Controller’s Office – Resolution Authorizing a Contract with Plante & Moran for 911 Center Consultant Services and Subcontract with East Lansing
Mr. VanDerWoude stated the power-point presentation from the Law Enforcement Committee was emailed to Mr. Neilsen earlier today. He then explained that the Dual Dispatch Plan has been presented to the Cities of Lansing and East Lansing. The municipalities requested additional information and time to consider the Plan. Mr. VanDerWoude stated Plante & Moran has been asked to review the Plan. He further stated he hopes to come up with a plan that is agreeable to everyone involved.
Chairperson Celentino stated Mr. Wiebert presented a thorough presentation to the Law Enforcement Committee last week. The Law Enforcement Committee supported the request for Plante & Moran to review the Dual Dispatch Plan. Chairperson Celentino stated the County must have all the necessary information about the Plan before it makes a determination about the consolidation. The cost of the study will be split between East Lansing and the County.
The Committee held a general discussion regarding this matter. Comm. Hertel asked about the call transfer delay with the Dual Dispatch Plan. Mr. VanDerWoude stated he does not believe the transfer time will take as long as indicated in the Lansing State Journal recently.
Comm. Tennis stated his support of the Resolution does not tie his hands regarding the consolidation. He will consider the effectiveness of the Plan before make a final determination.
Comm. Dougan stated he could not support the Resolution. The City of Lansing wants to pursue the Dual Dispatch Plan; therefore, they should pay for the Plante & Moran study. Comm. Hertel stated other jurisdictions are also interested in the results of the study.
MOTION CARRIED with Comm. Dougan voting NO. Absent Comm. Grebner
11c. Resolution Authorizing the 2007/08 Agreements for Juvenile Justice Community Agencies
MOVED BY COMM. WEATHERWAX-GRANT, SUPPORTED BY COMM. TENNIS, TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE 2007/08 AGREEMENTS FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMUNITY AGENCIES.
Comm. Weatherwax-Grant stated this is the second year of awarding these grant funds. A determination was made to authorize 18-month agreements and this caused some confusion with a few of the agencies. She further stated the Judiciary Committee labored over this issue to determine an equitable distribution. The Judiciary Committee informed the Larry M. Trice, Outreach Services, Seeds to Success that it will expect real tangible outcome measures before the Committee will support a future funding request. This Resolution passed unanimously in the Judiciary Committee.
Comm. Dougan asked Mr. Botke for an update regarding the proposed 2008 numbers. Mr. Botke explained that on July 13, 2007 he will submit a request to the State Bar of Michigan for additional funding for full implementation of the program in the out-County areas. He then stated he is grateful for the 2007 JJM grant award.
Ms. Beauregard, Dispute Resolution Center, addressed budget questions from Comm. Dougan. Comm. Dougan then expressed his appreciation to Ms. Beauregard for supplying the additional information in response to his request from last year.
Comm. Dougan stated the Larry M. Trice Center continues to be a concern of his due to the lack of available numbers. He then requested a split on the vote between the Center and the other three agencies. This request was granted.
MOTION regarding: $75,000 for Child and Family Services
$30,000 for Dispute Resolution Center
$40,000 Lansing Teen Court
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Absent: Comm. Grebner
MOTION TO APPROVE $5,000 FOR THE LARRY M. TRICE, SR. OUTREACH SERVICES:
Comm. Dougan stated it is not clear that LMTS is bringing other funding sources to the table. He also stated he cannot support a non-profit agency that pays its facilitators $250 per hour. Comm. Dougan stated additional documentation is needed to show that Ingham County is not providing LMTS with a majority of its funding.
Comm. Weatherwax-Grant stated Comm. Dougan’s concern was raised during the Judiciary Committee meeting last week. She then stated that more than half of LMTS’s funding would come from their church.
LMTS MOTION CARRIED with Comm. Dougan voting NO. Absent: Comm. Grebner
Ms. Beauregard stated her agency is deeply appreciative of the County’s support of the Dispute Resolution Center; she then asked if the appropriation could be increased to meet more needs of the youth.
Chairperson Celentino asked Ms. Beauregard if she approached other municipalities for funding. Ms. Beauregard explained she is only speaking about Ingham County programs. She then stated she has received funds from Eaton County’s JJM.
Chairperson Celentino applauded Comm. Weatherwax-Grant for her implementation of the JJM community agency process.
Comm. Hertel stated the Human Services Committee understands the process of allocating funds to community agencies is very difficult due to the limited available funds.
Comm. Weatherwax-Grant stated when the County has real tangible outcomes from the community agency programs that information can be presented to the Courts, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Prosecutor’s Office. She further stated it would be her hope then that additional funds could be appropriated to the agencies.
1. Controller’s Office – Tax Allocation Board/Separate Tax Limitations – Discussion Item
Ms. Morton stated that due to the County’s decreasing taxing capacity, the Board of Commissioners may want to create a Tax Allocation Board and authorize a ballot question for separate tax limitations. She then stated the agenda material contained information related to this issue. If the Board decides to authorize a ballot question this year, it would have to be authorized by August 28, 2007 for the next ballot.
Chairperson Celentino reviewed the four options which were listed on the back side of Ms. Morton’s memorandum to this Committee, dated June 7, 2007.
Mr. Stoker explained there are two ways to bring the Millage amount back to 6.8 mills. One option is a Headlee override and the other is to reset the separate Millage limitation. He then explained the 1970 amount set by Headlee has been rolled down.
Resetting the process is very structured. The first step would be to pass a resolution to re-establish the Tax Allocation Board. That Board would appropriate the nine mills and then the question would be placed on the ballot.
Mr. Stoker stated ballot language has to read exactly as stated in the statute. He then stated the County has the ability to deal with up to 9 mills.
The Committee held a general discussion regarding this issue. At the completion of this discussion, the Committee decided to pursue this issue this year. The Committee will consider the resolution at its next meeting. Mr. Stoker recommended the County authorize the question for an indefinite period.
Announcements: None
Public Comment: None
The meeting adjourned at 7:09 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Debra Neff