What an odd process. First they announce they won’t vote on any amendments til Tuesday, then they vote down two amendments that would restore funding for human services and save the county money in the long run and increase the fees tenants will be charged when they get evicted.
The room is ridiculously packed with probably 100 people, I’m sitting on the floor in a corner and can’t quite see everything going on.
EXECUTIVE/COUNTY BOARD/CLERK
The meeting is called to order, people are registering, they skip the overtime discussion and move on to presentations by staff on budgets for the County Board Office, the County Executive Office and County Clerk. Nothing new beyond what I heard at Executive Committee. This took about 10 minutes.
PUBLIC PROTECTION AND JUDICIARY
They move on to the Public Protection and Judiciary Budget Presentations. The Corporation Council isn’t there to give a presentation. Clerk of Courts does his presentation with some questions about jury pay and procedure. And they don’t hear from anyone else.
Rusk says there were 18 amendments, but not any more. He notes that the amendments he is going to present are budget neutral. (Copies of Amendments are here.)
PP&J 1 – Standard capital budget resolution that he understands will have some working changes.
PP&J 2 – This is the funding mechanism for the items that cost money. It is from salary savings
PP&J 3 – Money to restore half of cut to juvenile weekend report center, keeps them from being locked up – priority for juvenile judges.
PP&J 4 – Agreement with judges to take .5 position away and that if they moved forward with AIM and got it up and running they would put the half position back. McDonell and Faust worked that out. Not much money, position doesn’t start until July. Urges them to keep the agreement.
PP&J 5 – COMPAS softare – Diedre Garton hired to work on AIM system for Judges, high priority from Dane County Task Force on Racial Disparities in the Criminal Justice System.
PP&J 6 – Court manager position, when clerk of courts presented, he said he was concerned about losing the position. Staff worked hard and with someone in the position they can get federal money. Projecting an increase in federal dollars and it is very likely that they will get the money. Also important because moving toward Family Court Unification system where all cases are held with one Judge or court commissioner.
PP&J 15 – Didn’t come to a conclusion, moved it forward without a recommendation. JPAS Software relate to Criminal Justice Report – Dierdre and others working on it, would have recommended it but people weren’t up to speed. Take a close look at it.
PP&J 18 – Rusk says he screwed this one up – should not be before you – he should have voted against it, it was a long night. It is fine and they are looking at the ordinance for phones in the jail. Need to look at ordinance, not recognize any revenue in the budget and this is sort of a diversion from looking at the ordinance.
Hulsey asks if there would be a process to come to an agreement to change the ordinance, bring in the parties. Rusk says you could put that in, but there will be a variety of ordinance amendments that would be introduced and then take that under advisement. They will have a public hearing process. Hulsey says the reserve funds need the money, Rusk understands but can’t change the ordinance that quickly.
O’Laughin asks about #6 – Trevor says that that it is almost certain revenue.
Stoebig asks about the revenue from the jail phones, where did the number come from. Rusk says he doesn’t know where it came from. Much of it depends upon renegotiation of contract and changes to the ordinance.
Hulsey says that corrections officers amendment will not be offered tonight, but hey have to turn over every rock and stone and not a popular job.
Public Testimony is one speaker against furlough for sheriff’s department.
They note that they won’t vote on any amendments til Wednesday night
HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS
Presentation from Vets Services they say it is cost to continue. O’Laughlin invites the staff to talk about their Veterans Day events.
Vedder explains the Health and Human Needs Amendments (Copies of Amendments are here.)
HHN 2 – Technical adjustment. Accounting for the 1% restoration of the POS monies. The money isn’t designated yet, staff is still determining it. Lynn Green says there are still details to be worked out. Stoebig asks about the original adjustments. They are adjusting the restoration for some that didn’t take a reduction.
HHN 3 – This position is vacant, being reclassified to a full time social worker effective January 1 is because the person is retiring. Very senior position and the position created for this person. They need social workers for elder abuse and other services.
HHN 4- $12,000 added to Hope Haven program for offset in client fee revenue. The agency wants to keep the service going, they have to fundraise to get the money. Not closing Colvin Manor. This not only creates a line for them to accept the revenue, but they get to keep $12,000 earned beyond what they have in the budget. Catholic Charities will come up with the rest of the money to keep this going. Hulsey wants to see this repeated with other agencies.
HHN 5 – Duranczyk says that this is for the Stoughton Human Services Offices. They will retain essential Health and Human Services in Stoughton, and that the $53,000 for operations in the budget would be used to keep the services there. They will need to determine what is essential. People in Stoughton don’t all have cars and it is expensive to take cab to Madison, some don’t have phones. Economic Support people do applications there. Not just Stoughton but Cambridge and rural areas as well that use services in Stoughton. Green says they budgeted the operating costs until the building is sold. DeSmidt asks about the building being sold, is there an offer? They say there is none. City of Stoughton has a building where the services can be provided from. They have looked at some options, public safety building and senior center have space. deFelice says the staff did a good job being a part of the community in Stoughton and he supports it.
HHN 6 – Vedder says Gau, Wheeler made this $21,075 amendment, it came from the AAA board (Area Agency on Aging), they wanted to use that money from nutrition to fund case management. That was their priority. Lynn Green says that this is an area where we got stimulus money. DeSmidt says the stimulus money is to be used for food. We are seeing increased need. Green says that this is a one year thing while there is stimulus money but it might go away in future years. Stoebig asks about consolidations through incentives or sticks. Says there is alot of data to go through, when look at focal points all administer congregate meal sites, but we have 16 focal points, all have EDs, Office Managers, is there room and opportunity to work with focal points to think about consolidation to use the savings for continuing needs for congregate meals. How would they go about that? Green says that when she thinks of mergers the focal points are not high on her list. The sites are high on the list of municipalities and they are popular in their communities. The municipalities contribute and it could be tricky to see if the voluntary support would still be there if they start merging.
HHN 7 – Vedder says Wheeler wants the Americorp supervisor restored to keep the position whole. 100% for program services. Children Youth and Families has a manager who does all prevention work, other duties, youth commission, youth resource center and in addition, the Americorp Grant. The proposal was to do 77% time spent on Americorp and reduce work in other area. This restores the Americorp position and replaces grant money with GPR. Topf Wells from the Executives Office says that they restored some grant money and that the Youth Commission could live with it. Asks them to check with the chair, they do not view this as a necessary amendment.
HHN 11 – Restoring $2,000 of the $21,000 cut to eliminate Family Sexual Assault Treatment (FSAT) program. This keeps them in the community. Money comes out of child welfare line. Stoebig asks if $2,000 does anything. Green says that it would be acceptable to the person who runs the program. O’Laughlin says the group does pretty good work, history of $18- 20K/year. Green says that he has other sources of funding, next year he will have far less teen meetings. He feels that he would like to maintain the presence in the budget so people remember he is there. O’Laughlin says that this sounds funny. Green says you will get alot of unpaid work out of Chuck.
PERSONNEL & FINANCE AMENDMENTS
They do the Health & Human Needs related amendments from Supervisors (Copies of Amendments are here.)
For items that didn’t come from committee, they can only discuss amendments if someone moves them.
P&F 6 – Stoebig moves adoption, McDonell seconds. Stoebig explains this didn’t go to Health & Human Needs when they met on Tuesday because the issue came up on Wednesday in the State Journal. Genesis Development Corporation is in foreclosure. They had a publicly financed loan and since they aren’t current on the property taxes, which was a requirement of the loan, this came up. They also got two Human Services Grants. One was $67,000 for case management under TAP and Drug Court and more money for Exodus. They owe $100,000 for 2007 and 2008. He says they are giving money on one hand and being jilted on the other. Knee jerk reaction was to cut funding. Minority owned business operation. So, instead of eliminating funding, just says have until July 1 to get their act together to pay back taxes, penalties and interest otherwise contracts would be re-bid. O’laughlin asks if it should be done in a resolution. Chuck said appropriate for the budget. Stoebig says to change it to the 31st, they postpone to Wednesday.
P&F 7 – McDonell moves adoption for purposes of discussion. deFelice seconds. Vedder says that it wasn’t taken up at Health and Human Needs because the timing was wrong, got the go ahead from Chair McDonell to bring it to Personnel and Finance. [Ok, this is where I really start to bristle at the county “process” which you can read more about in another post this morning. But at the county, apparently, you need the County Board Chairs permission to make an amendment to budget, lest you be punished.] Vedder explains this is a restoration of the 3% cut to the POS agencies, its a $1.8M item. She says there is a couple ways to look at it, notes Richmond has an amendment as well. A cut is not tenable, we can’t do this, we are not only going to lose more services, but staff and its not just at the point where we can take cuts, we have reached rock bottom level, no places left to cut. People are going to be hurt, they will not fall through the cracks but off the cliff. All throughout the divisions, mental health, children youth and families, homeless programs, developmental and physical disabilities, elderly communities for nutrition programs, these programs keep people whole. These are the most vulnerable people in our community across the board. People weren’t pitching their own program, please do whatever you can to not cut the agencies, we cant take it any more. All these arguments, this is the worst time possible to have cuts go to POS agencies, horrible economic downturn, instead of maintaining services, we should be increasing them. Demands are going up, people affected are going up – poverty task force met today and one of the recommendations is to keep the commission going til poverty is eliminated. People across the spectrum are going to be hurt. Even people above the poverty line are being affected, people losing jobs. Finally, if we do go ahead with the cuts, we’re going to see higher costs in our community for institutions, (Mental Health coverage at Mendota costs 7 times more than community based programs) – people on the edge are getting prevention and intervention services, when these programs go, they if incarcerated instead, they’re going to jail and it will cost more. Hulsey interrupts and tells her we limit the public to three minutes – She says tat services will cost more to the county in the end – gave examples I missed.
About 20 – 40 people registered in support. [At this point it gets totally confusing, and I can’t follow it any more. He is reading of registration slips that are all out of order. He read some now, a few more later, and then another batch, so I have no idea how many people registered in support of this amendment.] They start to move postponement til Wednesday. Only one registrant to speak, [but it is clear that others in the room are wondering why they weren’t called to speak, but they get ignored.]
McDonell says agrees with the County executive that we need to share the pain. So if employees have to take furlough days, same applies to Human Services world. 7.9 levy is high, supervisors are concerned taxes are high at a time when the economy is bad. Not in support of restoring one area and not others. If start adding to Human Services, you’re at 11 or 12% levy. Won’t be the votes for the budget if we did that. Not that Supervisor Vedder isn’t correct, to minimize people coming on Wednesday, he’d withdraw his motion and doesn’t want to have people show up on Wednesday. Equity issue and can’t pass a county budget. Withdraws the motion, no one will move it.
1 speaker – Bob Mullininski is heard now. [This is part of the confusion, after they killed the amendment, they hear public testimony?]
RICHMOND AMENDMENT
This amendment isn’t available on-line. So, here it is, thanks to deSmidt giving me her copy of the amendment, since there weren’t copies available to the public.
Neither increase nor decrease expenditures or revenues, but amend the language of Res. 145, 2009-2010 to include the following:
“During 2010, the county may receive new revenues from a vehicle registration fee. This $4,476,000 in new revenue may be available to support transportation pruposes which are currently GPR expenses. If GPR revenue is freed up in this way, it is the first priority of the county board to use this revenue as follows, subject to all legal oblications including collective bargaining:
– $1,800,000 to restore cuts to they Department of Human Services POS agencies
– $1,094,000 to restor salary to county employees equivalent to 2 of the 8 furlough days; and
– $1,582,000 to rebuild the General Fund”Intent/Justification: This amendment establishes the county Board’s intent for the allocaiton of GPR revenue if the vehicle registration fee is approved and $4,476,999 becomes availalbe for transportation purposes. The GPR no longer needed for transportation purposes would be allocated as specific, subject to all legal obligations including collective bargaining.
Stoebig makes the motion to approve so that they can discuss the amendment. There is a very, very, l-o-n-g pause. Hesselbein seconds.
Richmond agrees with Vedder, budgets are about priorities, $1.8M for Human Services are not a choice we should make this year. One of worst times for our citizens, employees and clients. Understands what McDonell says. The Vehicle Registration Fee has a 24 month sunset and has 10 months of a $15 fee on 360,000 vehicles, which would fund transportation needs with that money. He says this is about half a tank of gas or $1.25 a month, but the amendment restores $1.8M to Human Services, two other issues addressed, restore salary for 25% of furloughs, 2 of 8 furlough days and puts $1.5M in reserve. He says he just heard supervisors asking about mental health for veterans, money for reserve fund if phone calls from jail money included in the budget and furloughs for sheriff’s deputies. This is responsible emergency aid in three areas of the budget. Would like to apologize, has a class on Wednesday, so can’t be here then. Vice Chair Downing will introduce the amendments from EANR which he chairs. Hopes that these is a little bit of leeway in considering the severity of what is going on, people are still losing jobs and houses still getting foreclosed on. Understands County Executive and Chair McDonell concerns but he can’t ignore what we hears, situation worse this year, $4.5M on vehicles for 10 months, could do it for one year, we would be doing our citizens, employees, economy and residents negatively affected a big favor, we can reset our priorities – put the money in the three places – Human Services, Reserve Fund, and furloughs.
Stoebig says he gives Richnmond credit for proposing something rather grand. Substantial revenues for hole in budget. He says if there was $6.5M they could have a pay freeze and freeze POS contracts for 2010. How’d we get here? County property taxes went down for two years, [LET ME REPEAT THAT, COUNTY TAXES WENT DOWN THE LAST TWO YEARS!] they were all there, looking at sales tax revenue projections, wrong 4 out of 5 years, always overestimated. Hulsey interrupts and says this isn’t debate. [Why not, this is the only time they are allowed to speak, as it will be defeated tonight? Feeling a little heat? Is Stoebig talking out of school? Making people uncomfortable?] To fund county growth they have been relying on sales tax revenue growth which is most impacted by economic downturns. Here, at least, not saying he supports it, at least we know how many vehicles are registered in Dane County, the numbers change very little and at least it is a stable revenue source you can count on. We agree 7.9% levy increase is uncomfortable and more uncomfortable if it was higher than that. Stable revenue source to address issues in the budget.
O’Laughlin commends Richmond too for at least trying. I missed what he said cuz someone was talking to me.
Richmond says this isn’t a restoration of all the furlough days, but its a nod. The POS human services would be restored.
O’Laughlin says the vast silent majority thinks the 7.9% is unacceptable, $15 on top of that just isn’t in the cards. Like to see a compromise.
Richmond says the people who call him who have said that they can’t deal with $15, they lost their job, transportation costs and house being foreclosed on – some not affected as they have no car. Spending on transportation vehicle related tax, just as honest or more honest than property taxes. Its a budget approach in how we fill the hole. State already puts the fee on them every year.
McDonell says that he doesn’t like the fee cuz unlike Mansion in Maple Bluff that pays more than a small house, the same homeowner with two cars pays the same per car as someone barely getting by. Its regressive compared to sales tax, which people can avoid by curtailing their spending. Wouldn’t come up with money this way cuz hurts people on the edge so much harder.
Motion to discuss fails 8-0. [No one is surprised.]
OTHER PERSONNEL AND FINANCE AMENDMENTS
P&F 11 – No motion on it so it fails. No one speaks to it.
P&F 12 – No motion on it so it fails. No one speaks to it.
RANDOM TESTIMONY
I’m quite sure she is there to speak to an amendment for Social Services, which they already essentially voted down, but Sharyl Kato – Director of Rainbow Project and Chair of Children and Youth Consortium speaks to them about the amendments they already shot down.
PERSONNEL AND FINANCE AMENDMENTS
P&F 6 will be taken up on Wednesday
RANDOMLY BACK TO HEALTH AND HUMAN NEEDS
[I am completely confused as to what they are doing at this point, they just seem to be reading off random registration slips that were all out of order.]
Hulsey reads off a bunch of registrations against HHN 21 – which I’m pretty sure was Levin’s living wage ordinance, which as far as I know, there isn’t a copy available to the public. Here’s what I understood about the amendment:
It says, “that the funding of living wage be reduced by 50%”. This reduced the Living Wage by $287,100, CIP 1B Revenue by $128,800 and produced a net GPR effect of $158,300.
There were nine recipients of the GPR:
– $30,000 Tellurian–Detox line. Tellurian would be required to pay $2800.
– $28,500 Youth Commission–Restoring grants, all are GPR funded and the budget them in half.
– $23,211 NIP Prevention Services–This restored the weekend report center for juvenile supervision.
– $20,000 Commonwealth Development–To expand the Youth Init. Youth Employment to West and Memorial.
– $19,059 Burial Assistance–The last state budget cut funding to the county to bury the indigent, leaving bodies in our morgue waiting for internment.
– $15,000 Housing Case Management–The dollars will help CAC provide services to recipients with increased stimulus dollars for services.
– $10,000 Community Support Mental Health Services–Homeless This is a program that received an 80% cut.
– $10,000 OJA Treatment Alt & Div–Restored a cut to the TAD grant for jail diversion.
– $2,530 Chrysalis–This money went to restore Chrysalis’ Support Employment program that provides mental health outpatient services through an employment program.Total: $158,300
There are many registrations on this matter but Hulsey informs people this matter is not before them.
BADGER PRAIRIE
One speaker speaks about the understaffing at Bedger Prairie, says he got 130 signatures first day, 213 staff members total which is baiscally all the employees. DeSmidt thanks them for printing their names and identifying themselves. Hulsey asks about plan to reduce overtime. Speaker answers the question with some details, then says that they are working on a policy and there are fewer people calling in sick recently.
ACTION ON AMENDMENTS
They postpone action on all of the amendments. There is some confusion and clearly they are told by the Chair they should refer everything. McDonell says they want to take into consideration all amendments so they can think about the levy and they might want to take up some of the amendments together.
SHERIFF FEES FOR EVICTIONS
As if poor and vulnerable people were not kicked in the teeth enough, they unanimously, without discussion, raised the fees that tenants will get charged when they get evicted from $10 to nearly $50 per hour.
The other ordinance amendments on the agenda all passed. They did not discuss overtime. They will meet again on Wednesday at 6:00.
