County:
No recommendation for District 6 seat
Auditors
Clifton and Gunderson secured for next round
New tower
to test winds approved
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[February
18, 2009]
At the request of Terry Carlton,
board chairman, the Logan County Board went into executive session
during its adjourned meeting Tuesday evening to discuss a possible
appointment to the District 6 seat. The board spent nearly an hour
behind closed doors discussing one or more potential candidates.
When the meeting reconvened, Carlton announced that there was no
recommendation for the appointment. "We'll do that at a different
time," he said.
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The seat was vacated on Dec. 1, 2008, with two years remaining, when
Michael McIntosh moved to the state's attorney position. The manner
of choosing a replacement is for the county board chairman to make a
recommendation for appointment, and then the board must approve that
person with a majority vote. This was the third attempt the
chairman has made to find someone the board would approve to seat in
that position.
On other matters:
Finance chairman Chuck Ruben recommended accepting a three-year
proposal from Clifton Gunderson for the county's audit work.
Pat O'Neill opposed accepting the proposal. He said that to be
fiscally responsible, the board needs to go out for proposals and
bids on everything.
Terry Werth said that there is no requirement to bid out on
professional services.
Ruben explained several aspects of
his recommendation for this firm:
-
This is the last
year of a three-year contract with Clifton Gunderson.
-
They now have
experience that will lessen the hourly time that is involved in
the audit process, which would lower the costs from what they
would be in going to someone new.
-
They have earned
the trust of the county officials who work with them.
-
Their prior work
has been superb. They've done what it took to help the county in
a number of ways.
-
There was a change
in the software this year that made the work hard and will
continue to make next year's audit more complicated until
everything gets worked out. They are familiar with these issues.
-
The auditors for the county when Ruben came
on the board had been in place for 20 years. Ruben said there
were many examples in working with Sikich Gardner when he could
see the benefit of their knowledge of the county's auditing
history and their experience in working with the county. Clifton Gunderson is now building that
same base.
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Carlton agreed, saying, "I think that their offer is real solid." He
commented:
-
The biggest
positive that they have is that they know our people.
-
Our people know
them.
-
They know our
methodology.
-
Knowing the systems can really help cut
economics.
Board member John Stewart launched a side discussion comparing
the question of whether to go out for bids for the audit to the
insurance committee's recent decision and the board's approval to
accept proposals for health insurance.
He emphasized the value of placing trust in people (the insurance
consultants and insurance provider) to know our system and the
county employees' needs.
He objected to the imbalance in the board's decision-making. "For
one thing you guys are willing to go out for proposals on, but for
another thing you aren't," he said. "So, I'm not understanding. One
aspect is that you trust the people you are working with and they
know the system; well, so does insurance. Insurance is the same
thing." He believed in respect for the same people. "There is no
difference whatsoever, except for the health of the employees," he
said.
Jan Schumacher responded that there might be the dollar
difference.
The board agreed unanimously, 11-0, to accept Clifton Gunderson's
proposal.
The board approved a conditional use permit request from Horizon
Wind Energy to put up a permanent meteorological test tower in an ag
district. The tower is part of Rail Splitter Wind Farm and would be
located approximately at the northeast corner of 2600 N and 1050 E.
[By
JAN YOUNGQUIST] |