It’s dollars and sense at Logan County Board Budget time

 

[October 22, 2018] 

LINCOLN 

At the Logan County Board meeting Tuesday, October 16, the board heard brief committee updates and voted on motions from several committees.

Board members present were Kevin Bateman, Dave Blankenship, Emily Davenport, Janet Estill, Bob Farmer, David Hepler, Gloria Luster, Gene Rohlfs, Chuck Ruben, Scott Schaffenacker and Annette Welch. Bob Sanders was absent.

Finance Committee Update

Finance Committee Chairman David Hepler brought forward motions that included:

A motion to amend the budget adding in $30,000 to the CAPCIL/ Support Program line for the Supporting Working Families Initiative (SWFI) Program. Hepler said back in 2016, the board decided to support this program with the intent is to transition people from a state of poverty to more financial independence.

At the Thursday Board Workshop, CAPCIL Executive Director Alison Rumler-Gomez said SWFI works toward workforce development. She said part of the program is career readiness, a financial literacy course, case management, and direct planning assistance for those looking to pursue a GED or technical training.

Rumler-Gomez said she has heard from workforce investment boards around the six counties they cover that the soft skills or essential skills are underdeveloped.

Rumler-Gomez said it works to be about a $3,750 investment per person in the program. After 12 months in the program, dependency on social welfare aids was reduced by over $134,000. She said the initial investment of $30,000 brought back over $134,000 to the taxpayers.

Rumler-Gomez said the program is offered through the Community Services Block Grant, but SWFI helps fill the gap for those who are “incomed out” of the program. Those who go through the program get jobs, learn how to manage a budget, and start to lose benefits. She said the SWFI program allows CAPCIL to continue those services until people get out of the welfare system altogether.

Rumler-Gomez said she would appreciate it if the board could find it in the budget to support it.

The motion to amend the budget adding in $30,000 to the CAPCIL/ Support Program line for the Supporting Working Families Initiative (SWFI) Program failed 7-4.

Bateman, Blankenship, Davenport, Estill, Farmer, Ruben and Schaffenacker voted no.

Hepler, Luster, Rohlfs and Welch voted yes.

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A motion to approve a resolution to set the salary for Public Defender at $78,891. Ruben said it is a 2.2 percent increase. It was approved unanimously by the eleven members present.

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A motion to bring FY 18-19 Budget off display was also unanimously approved.

Hepler then made a motion for five amendments:

The board unanimously approved a motion to amend the Sheriff’s budget by $35,000 to hire a records clerk.

Chief Deputy Mark Landers said last week they were made aware of a change in the juvenile law, they cannot have any juvenile records in law enforcement anymore. He said it is called “automatic expungement” and means must expunge juvenile records of people under 18.

Landers said the problem is that the electronic system and PIPS digital data system they used from 1993 to 2008 make it a challenge and there are many files to go through. The data system is not a searchable database, so someone must go through every police report for those years in addition to shelves full of arrest records, fingerprint cards, and all the narratives.

Landers said, additionally, names of juveniles who were victims or witnesses in those reports must be redacted.

Landers said due to what even the state has called a “burdensome task,” a new records clerk is needed.

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A motion to amend the budget increasing revenues in the General Fund by $200,000 passed 10-1. Schaffenacker voted no.

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A motion to amend the budget increasing expenditures in the General Fund by $32,998 passed unanimously.

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A motion to amend the budget increasing the court security fund account by $33,146. Ruben said this increase is due to going from using civilian security to using a full-time deputy in the courthouse. The treasurer also found an error from last year and correcting the error increased the line item as well. This motion also passed unanimously.

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A motion to approve several Logan County Tax Levies for Fiscal Year December 1, 2018 to November 30, 2019. All were approved unanimously except the IMRF fund, which Bateman and Blankenship voted ‘no’ on.

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Davenport asked what the final budget deficit is.

Ruben said the budget deficit is around $685,000. He said the committee increased line items that were trending higher in the audits and the line item for wind farms from $350,000 to $500,000.

Ruben said short of going through the budget line-by-line and making cuts in departments, there is not much that can be changed. Ruben said he has a great amount of faith in our departments that when they know the budget is in trouble, they hold the line, turn the money back in, and don’t frivolously spend it at the end of the year.

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Hepler’s motion to approve the 2018-2019 budget passed 10-1.

Blankenship voted no.

Airport/Farm

The board unanimously approved two motions brought forward by Airport and Farm Committee Chairman Gene Rohlfs.

The motions were to approve the county’s share of five percent for a project in the amount of $70,469 to widen and rehabilitate runway 3-21 and re-construct turnarounds, and to approve up to $6,000 for providing new incoming electrical service panels.

Buildings and Grounds

The board unanimously approved Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Kevin Bateman’s motion to expend $2,400 for the purchase of a power drain machine.

Insurance/Legislative/Liquor Committee

Insurance, Legislative, and Liquor Committee Chairman Annette Welch brought forward two motions:

- A motion to adopt the definition of retiree in the employee handbook. This definition applies to employee benefits. Due to some questions about IMRF and insurance for retirees, the issue was tabled and sent back to committee.

- A motion to approve Liquor License for Blazer Bell, who purchased Aper Management, LLP. Welch said they just need to bring back the fees.

- The motion passed with 10 yeses.
Hepler abstained.

Other committee motions and votes

Road and Bridge Committee

Road and Bridge Committee Chairman Bob Farmer brought forward motions for repairs on two bridges.

The first one to award a bridge rehabilitation project to County Contractors in the amount of $149,571. The bridge is on the Logan County DeWitt County line, so the cost will be split between the counties and their IDOT funds.

The second motion was to approve an Engineering Agreement with Veenstra & Kimm for a bridge rehabilitation on County Highway 12 near Broadwell at a total cost of $46,031. This cost will be reimbursed 80 percent by the county’s federal bridge allotment.

Both motions passed unanimously.

Safety Committee

The board unanimously approved a motion by Safety Committee Chairman Bob Farmer to purchase a used car for transportation for the Coroner in the amount of $10,195 from Lincoln Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

The next Regular Board meeting will be held November 20th at 7 p.m. in the Logan County Courthouse.

[Angela Reiners]