Administration and County Services Committee

Michael Crawford

Robert McLeod, Chairman

Laura Stanek

January 5, 2006

Minutes

Members Present:

Mike Crawford and Bob McLeod

Members Absent:

Laura Stanek

Others Present:

Pete Garwood and Jack White

1.       Meeting called to order at 12:30 p.m.

2.       Public Comment

         None.

3.       Dewey Insurance Agency

Pat Dewey, Agent for the Dewey Insurance Agency, and Donna Ludwig, Representative from BCBS, joined the meeting.  Ms. Ludwig described the Health Savings Account (HSA) offered by BCBS.  Mr. Dewey provided information on trends in health insurance and cost sharing with employees.

4.       Commission on Aging (COA)

Part-time Secretary

Carol Mitchell, COA Director, joined the meeting.  Ms. Mitchell requested that, due to her prior six (6) years (plus) of experience as a part-time secretary (non-union), Judy Parliament the new part-time secretary be paid at the first year step in the pay grade for the secretary position in the COA.

Motion by Mike Crawford, supported by Bob McLeod, to recommend the Board of Commissioners approve paying Ms. Judy Parliament, the new part-time secretary, at the first year step in the pay grade for the secretary position (in the General Unit Collective Bargaining Agreement) in the COA to be retroactive to January 1, 2006.  Motion carried – unanimous.

         Mr. Garwood will contact the union and initiate a letter of understanding.

COA Procedures - Commissioner Representative

Charlie Koop, Prosecuting Attorney, joined the meeting.  At the previous Administration and County Services Committee meeting the Committee discussed reducing the County Commissioner representation on the COA Board from two Commissioners to one Commissioner.  The Committee asked to hear from the COA and legal counsel regarding this proposal.  Ms. Mitchell stated that it’s nice to have two Commissioners in case one of them could not make it to a COA Board meeting.  Mr. Koop stated there was no legal reason legally that dictates there has to be two Commissioners on the COA Board.

Motion by Bob McLeod, supported by Mike Crawford, to recommend the Board of Commissioners approve amending the COA procedures to reduce the number of County Commissioners on the COA Board to one, and the total number of COA Board member’s positions be five.  Motion carried – unanimous.

5.       Prosecutor Salary and Benefits

Mr. Koop stated that the 4.1% increase in salary that the Unrepresented received for 2006 would be acceptable to him.

Mr. Koop also requested an increase in the stipend he receives for administering the Child Support Contract.  Mr. Koop indicated the stipend had been increased only once since he began administering it in 1991.

Motion by Mike Crawford, supported by Bob McLeod, to recommend the Board of Commissioners increase the Prosecutor’s salary by 4.1% and additionally increase his stipend for administering the Child Support Contract to $6,400.  Motion carried – unanimous.

6.       Personnel Matters

Committee requested that a communication be drafted and delivered to the two employees (and their supervisors) involved in the reason for the grievance handled at the last meeting, expressing their deep concern and displeasure of their actions which amounted to the usurping of the Board of Commissioners authority by granting a part-time employee vacation days and paid leave days.

7.       Vesting Period for Retirement

The Committee discussed decreasing the vesting period for employees from ten years to six or eight years.  The concern was that presently, in the job market an individual is more likely to change employment much more often then workers have in the past.  With a ten year vesting period, many employees could end up leaving the County after six or eight years without any pension to show for it.  Mr. Garwood stated the cost of changing to a six year vesting period would be between 0% and ¾% and the cost of changing to an eight year vesting period would be 0% to ½%.  The Committee requested Mr. Garwood to contact the union representatives to see if they would be interested in partially funding an actuarial study to determine the cost of changing to a shorter vesting period.

8.       911 Board Appointments

Mr. Garwood informed the Committee that according to the 911 Plan the Road Commission position and the ACES/firefighter position on the 911 Board must be re-appointed annually.

Motion by Bob McLeod, supported by Mike Crawford, to recommend the Board of Commissioners Chairman appoint Bill Chapman as the ACES/firefighter representative and Burt Thompson as the Road Commission representative on the 911 Board.  Motion carried – unanimous.

9.       Sheriff Department

Sheriff Terry Johnson joined the meeting.  Sheriff Johnson informed the Committee that John Fant, Court Officer, must cut back to 2 days per week due to Michigan Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) rules and policies.  Sheriff Johnson requested the authority to hire another part-time court officer.

Motion by Mike Crawford, supported by Bob McLeod, to recommend the Board of Commissioners allow the Sheriff to hire a second part-time court officer.  Motion carried – unanimous.

10.     Madison National Life Insurance Renewal

Mr. Garwood informed the Committee that Madison National Life, the County’s life insurance and short-term disability insurance carrier, has quoted a 10% decrease in rates for the renewal.  The decrease may have been prompted by a competing quote from MERS.

Motion by Mike Crawford, supported by Bob McLeod, to recommend the Board of Commissioners approve a renewal (beginning March 1, 2006 to March 1, 2007) with Madison National Life for life insurance and short-term disability insurance at the renewal rates.  Motion carried – unanimous.

11.     Annuity in Lieu of Health Insurance

The Committee discussed indexing the Annuity in Lieu of Health Insurance at 2/3 of the cap for the single rate in the General Unit.  The reason for indexing it to a single unit would be for administrative ease. 

Motion by Bob McLeod, supported by Mike Crawford, to recommend the Board of Commissioners increase the Annuity in Lieu of Health Insurance at 2/3 the rate of the cap for a single subscriber in the General Unit.  Motion carried – unanimous.

Mr. Garwood will contact the unions to make sure they are in agreement and initiate a Letter of Understanding (LOU).

12.     Pension Adjustment

The Committee discussed the concern that the pension doesn’t currently include any kind of annual adjustment for inflation.

13.     Delinquent Tax Sale Program

At the last meeting, the Committee had requested that the Coordinator/Planner Office conduct a survey to see if other Counties in Region 10 have opted into the delinquent property tax sale program.  Mr. Garwood indicated all Region 10 counties have opted in but Kalkaska County.

14.     Clean Air Regulation

The Committee reviewed the current County policy on the prohibition of smoking in County facilities.

Motion by Mike Crawford, supported by Bob McLeod, to recommend the Board of Commissioners amend the current smoke-free buildings policy to include County owned or leased vehicles and to place the responsibility for enforcement with the department heads.  Motion carried – unanimous.

Add County owned or leased vehicles. Enforcement will be in the hands of the Department heads.