Chambana Sun

Vermilion County Finance & Personnel Committee met Monday, Feb. 6.

Here are the minutes as provided by the committee:

Finance & Personnel Committee

Monday, February 6, 2016

5:15 PM, Room 319, Courthouse Annex

MINUTES

Agenda Item 1 - Call to Order and Roll Call

Chairman Steve Fourez called the Finance/Personnel meeting to order at 5:15 PM. Upon the call of the roll, the following members were present; Wes Bieritz, Darren Duncan, Steve Fourez, Todd Johnson, and Bruce Stark. Robert Boyd and Becky Stark were absent and excused. Also in attendance was Bill Wright, Vermilion County Auditor; Chief Deputy Auditor Alexis Berlin; Bill Donahue, Vermilion County State’s Attorney; Doug Toole, Director of the Vermilion County Health Department; Nancy O”Kane, Vermilion County Board Member; Paul Sermersheim, Executive Director of Peer Court; Katie Osterbur, Peer Court Coordinator; and Michael Marron, Vermilion County Board Chairman.

Agenda Item 2 - Adoption/Amendments to the Agenda

Stark moved, seconded by Bieritz, to amend the agenda and remove the scheduled presentation by the Treasurer. Motion passed by acclamation.

Agenda Item 3 - Approval of Minutes – January 9, 2017

Bieritz moved, seconded by Johnson, to approve the minutes as presented. Motion passed by acclamation.

Agenda Item 4 - Audience Comments

None

Agenda Item 5 - Financial Update

Mr. Bayard passed out a report and indicated that he utilized an alternative database to develop the report because the current one had yet to been updated. Mr. Bayard briefly went through the list of departments and noted that expenditures were generally within an acceptable range of the previous year’s expenditures signifying that there was no unusual activity with regard to the county’s adherence to the budget. Auditor Bill Wright introduced his Chief Deputy, Alexis Berlin who was recently hired. Wright provided addition information which captured encumbered funds by department. He indicated that County expenses were consistent with previous spending patterns.

Agenda Item 7 – Employee of the Month Award

Fourez solicited comments about who should win the award. The committee discussed establishing a process to select the future winners of the Employee of the Month designation. Among the items that would be considered were: whether to limit nominations to one employee per department; the frequency of the award; and the finding ways to increase the number of departments that participated.

Vermilion County Board Chairman Marron indicated that he hoped that the award would boost morale and catalyze department heads to more regularly consider employees that are doing good work in their office. Stark moved, seconded by Johnson to select Jana Messmore as Vermilion County’s Employee of the Month. Motion passed by acclamation.

Agenda Item 8– Ordinance - Abatement of the Annual Tax Levy

Marron explained that the proposed ordinance would abate the annual tax levy and would be paid for by an existing quarter percent sales tax. He added that it was a measure taken every year to returns funds to the public. Bieritz moved, seconded by Duncan, to approve the ordinance to abate the annual tax levy. Upon the call of the roll the following members voted yes to approve the ordinance to wit: Wes Bieritz, Darren Duncan, Steve Fourez, Todd Johnson, and Bruce Stark. 5 yes, 2 absent.

Agenda Item 9 - Peer Court

Marron mentioned that the ordinance under consideration had passed was approved by the Judicial and Rules committee. Marron explained that the Peer Court Program was funded by the County and it was shifted to the 708 Board. He highlighted how the program was effective in diverting individuals from the legal systems. Stark moved, seconded by Johnson, to approve the ordinance to fund the Peer Court program.

Ms. Katie Osterbur, a representative of Peer Court provided a brief explanation of Peer Court’s activities. Duncan welcomed the opportunity for the committee to review the program in the future and consider adequate funding levels for the program. Stark moved seconded by Johnson, to approve the ordinance to fund the Peer Court program at $5,250. Upon the call of the roll the following members voted yes to approve the ordinance to wit: Wes Bieritz, Darren Duncan, Steve Fourez, Todd Johnson, and

Bruce Stark. 5 yes, 2 absent.

Agenda Item 10 – Executive Session

Not necessary

Agenda Item 11 - Items of Information

Marron reported that there was considerable discussion around a proposed hog farm and that he anticipated that many county residents were wanting to provide input. Marron clarified that the decision to allow the hog farm was mostly under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Agriculture. He indicated that the proposed farm had to meet specific criteria in order to be approved. Stark revealed that the farm had been approved and had met the required criteria. Marron also indicated that he conferred with Vermilion County Board members and wanted to make sure there was adequate time for public comment on the subject. Bieritz inquired if the public comment would serve as a criterion to which the response was that it would not be a criterion. There was also a question also about future expansion of the farm to which Fourez and Marron stated that it was there understanding that it would have to be approved by the Department of Agriculture.

Agenda Item 12 – Adjournment

Fourez adjourned the meeting at 6:10 PM.