CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING The County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, December 17, 2009 in the Commission Chambers. Chairperson Robert Wagel called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Commissioner Higley gave the Invocation; Commissioner Arnold led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Clerk/Register Runyon called roll: COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Edward Goodman; Robert Wagel; Cathy Goodenough; Bill Steele; Gordon Bickel, Sr.; Charles Arnold; David Taylor; Carl Higley, Sr.; Ronald Francis; Dixie File; E. Clark Cobb; Minnie Macon Warren; Johnie Rodebush; Debbie Johnson and Robert Ziliak. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Terry Proctor, County Administrator and Barbara Runyon, Clerk/Register. Visitors introduced themselves. INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS PUBLIC COMMENT Howard Township resident, Sylvester (Sy) Vanderbutts, addressed the Board regarding his view on medicinal marijuana usage. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES Commissioner Taylor moved seconded by Commissioner Higley, to approve the November 24, 2009 and December 3, 2009 Board of Commissioner Minutes. Motion carried by voice vote. 1
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Bickel moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to approve the December 17, 2009 Cass County Board of Commissioner s Agenda. Motion carried by voice vote. FINANCIAL REPORT Administrator Terry Proctor gave the financial report. COMMITTEE REPORTS Commissioners Bickel, Taylor and Higley gave committee reports. ADMINISTRATOR S REPORT County Administrator Terry Proctor gave the administrator s report. None. UNFINISHED BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS M-192-09 Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodebush, to approve the claims dated 11/27/09 as submitted by the Claims Committee. Motion carried by voice vote. M-193-09 Commissioner Cobb moved, seconded by Commissioner Warren, to approve the proposed Professional Services Agreement with Robert Smith under the FY2008 Regional Homeland Security Grant Program. Motion carried by voice vote. 2
M-194-09 Commissioner Steele moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodman, to approve the proposed lease for storage and work space at the Cass County Road Commission. Motion carried by voice vote. M-195-09 Commissioner Johnson moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodebush, to amend the 2010 Cass County Drug Enforcement Team (CCDET) Fund 271 budget for building lease and improvements as follows: Account Name Account Number Debit Credit Building Lease 271-301-944.020 $19,000 Building Improvements 271-301-944.030 $31,000 Fund balance $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 Motion carried by voice vote. M-196-09 Commissioner Goodenough moved, seconded by Commissioner Bickel, to approve the FY2008 Michigan Citizens Corps Program Intergovernmental Funding Agreement between the County of Van Buren and the County of Cass. Motion carried by voice vote. M-197-09 Commissioner Warren moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to approve the following: M-197-09 (a) Increase the Court Non-union Salary Table and the Non-union Salary Table by $908 effective January 1, 2010. M-197-09 (b) That the health insurance plan for non-union employees hired on or before May 17, 2007 will be Plan D effective September 1, 2010. Employees hired after May 17, 2007 will be 3
on Plan E. Employees hired before May 17, 2007 may voluntarily opt for Plan E. All employees on Plan E will pay 11% of the premium beginning September 1, 2010. Employees on Plan D will pay the same percentage (%) of the premium as court union employees do. M-197-09 (c) To amend section 4.5 of the Personnel Handbook of County of Cass (revised March 20, 2003) as follows: 4.5 Disability Insurance: Full-time employees will be provided shortterm disability insurance upon completion of the probationary period. The amount of insurance is based on the employee s salary. If an employee is ill for seven (7) fourteen (14) consecutive calendar days and qualifies for and receives short disability benefits, the County will pay lost wages retroactively for work time lost during the seven (7) day period (base wages only no premium time). reimburse the employee for all ETO hours used by the employee during the waiting period. Any compensatory time, vacation time or other paid time used during the waiting period is not reimbursable. M-197-09 (d) A motion to amend Section 5.1 of the Personnel Handbook of County of Cass (revised March 20, 2003) as follows: B.1 e. Each employee of record on January 1 will be credited with thirty-two (32) eighty-four (84) hours of earned time off. New employees hired during the year will receive a prorated benefit. The County will pay the employee for 60% 100% of the unused earned time off in July January of the following year at the employee s then current rate of pay. Each employee of record on July 1 will be credited with 32 hours earned time off. The County will pay the employee for 60% of the unused earned time off in January of the following year at the employee s then current rate of pay. Motion M-197-09 (a) (b) (c) and (d) were carried by voice vote. M-198-09 Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodman, to direct the Civil Counsel to prepare a Tax Sharing Agreement with the Uptown Corridor Improvement Authority, the Village of Edwardsburg and the Township of Ontwa using the above listed 4
conditions for action by the Board of Commissioners on January 7 or 21, 2010. Motion carried by voice vote. M-199-09 A motion to not permit the tax capture or abatement of all County of Cass property tax revenues (allocated operating millage and all other millages levied by the Cass County Board of Commissioners) within the Uptown Corridor Improvement Authority District. Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner Higley, to postpone Motion M-199-09 indefinitely. Motion to postpone carried by voice vote. M-200-09 Commissioner File moved, seconded by Commissioner Higley, to appropriate $43,812.84 from the Public Improvement fund for a pathway to the County Campus. Motion carried by voice vote. M-201-09 Sheriff Underwood is requesting authorization to purchase a 2010 Ford Crown Victoria Police Vehicle from Signature Ford. This vehicle will be used in Howard Township. The cost of the vehicle is $20,487 plus title fees and will be reimbursed by Howard Township. Commissioner Rodebush moved, seconded by Commissioner Warren, to approve the purchase of a Howard Township Police Vehicle from Signature Ford for $20,487 plus title fees. Motion carried by voice vote. M-202-09 Sheriff Joseph Underwood is requesting an increase of expenditures to the 2010 Sheriff Non-Drug Forfeiture Fund (267) budget for the purchase of equipment. Commissioner Goodenough moved, seconded by Commissioner Steele, to amend the 2010 Sheriff Non-Drug Forfeiture Fund (267) as follows: Account Name Account Number Debit Credit Equipment 267-301-980.000 $5,000 Fund balance $5,000 Motion carried by voice vote. 5
R-203-09 Commissioner Ziliak moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to support a Resolution of Allegan County regarding Funding Obligations and State Mandated Services. 6
7
The Chair instructed the Clerk to call roll: Yeas (15): Nays (0): Absent (0): Commissioners Goodenough, Steele, Bickel, Arnold, Taylor, Higley, Francis, File, Cobb, Warren, Rodebush, Johnson, Ziliak, Goodman and Wagel. None. None. Resolution R-203-09 carried by roll call vote. R-204-09 Commissioner Goodman moved, seconded by Commissioner Arnold, to support a resolution of the UP Association of County Commissioners Opposing the MiWater Ballot Initiative. 8
9
Discussion followed. The Chair instructed the Clerk to call roll: 10
Yeas (10): Nays (5): Absent (0): Commissioners Steele, Arnold, Francis, File, Warren, Rodebush, Johnson, Goodman, Wagel and Goodenough Commissioners Bickel, Taylor, Higley, Cobb and Ziliak. None. Resolution R-204-09 carried by roll call vote. M-205-09 Commissioner Francis moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodman, to make the following reappointments: Reappoint Dixie File, Roseann Marchetti and Bernie Williamson to the Land Preservation Board for terms ending January 1, 2014. Reappoint Johnie Rodebush and Dixie File to the Parks and Recreation Commission for terms ending January 1, 2013. Reappoint Robert Powers and Barb Cook to the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission for terms ending January 1, 2012. Motion carried by voice vote. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioners Higley, Steele, Rodebush, Wagel and Bickel made comments or announcements. ADJOURNMENT Commissioner Higley moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodebush, to adjourn. Motion carried by voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 8:02 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Runyon Clerk/Register 11
12