Chambana Sun

Champaign County Committee of the Whole met April 10.

Here is the minutes provided by the Committee:

Members Present: Jack Anderson, Brad Clemmons, John Clifford, Lorraine Cowart, Aaron Esry, Stephanie Fortado, Jim Goss, Stan Harper, Josh Hartke, Robert King, Brooks Marsh, Jim McGuire, Kyle Patterson, Pattsi Petrie, Jon Rector, Giraldo Rosales, Chris Stohr, Stephen Summers, James Tinsley, C. Pius Weibel

Members Absent: Shana Crews, Max Mitchell

Others Present: Van Anderson (Temporary Special Projects Administrator), Jeff Blue (County Engineer), John Farney (Treasurer), Gordy Hulten (County Clerk), Barb Mann (State’s Attorney Civil Division) Diane Michaels (Auditor), Tami Ogden (Deputy County Administrator/Finance),Julia Reitz (State’s Attorney), Kay Rhodes (Administrative Assistant)

Call To Order:

Weibel called the meeting to order at 6:31 p.m.

Roll Call:

Rhodes called the roll. Anderson, Clifford, Cowart, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, Hartke, King, Marsh, McGuire, Patterson, Petrie, Rector, Rosales, Stohr, Summers, Tinsley, and Weibel were present at the time of roll call, establishing the presence of a quorum.

Approval Of Agenda/Addenda:

Motion by Rosales to approve the Agenda/Addenda as amended moving the Closed Session to Finance portion of agenda; seconded by Patterson. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Approval Of Minutes:

Motion by Esry to approve the minutes of the March 13, 2018 Committee of the Whole meeting; seconded by Rosales. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Public Participation:

There was no public participation.

Communications:

There were no communications from the committee members.

Justice & Social Services:

RJTF-Community Engagement Recommendation

Motion by Cowart to recommend County Board approval of a resolution to facilitate the collection of racial/ethnicity data within the County Criminal Justice system, cooperate with other local government entities in sharing data, and utilizing compatible software so that data can be used in a community-wide data portal; seconded by Hartke. Discussion followed concerning any foreseen costs related to the collection of data, participation of other municipalities within the County and specific language and/or direction to the necessary County departments. Motion carried.

Monthly Reports-

The monthly reports were received and placed on file.

Other Business-

There was no other business.

Chair’s Report-

There was no Chair’s report.

Designation of Items for Consent Agenda-

There were no items designated for the consent agenda.

Policy, Personnel, & Appointments:

Appointments/Reappointments

Motion by Weibel to reappoint the following incumbents to their respective Fire Protection Districts, Term 5/1/2018-4/30/2021: Broadlands-Longview – David Bosch; Eastern Prairie – Steve Lemke; Edge-Scott – Linda Barcus; Ivesdale – John Flavin; Ludlow – Patrick Quinlan; Ogden-Royal – Tyler Wright; Pesotum – Chris Hausman; Philo – Michael McHenry; Sadorus – Richard Jobe; Sangamon Valley – Douglas Enos; Scott – Paul Berbaum; St. Joseph- Stanton – Richard Denhart; Thomasboro – Michael Tittle; Tolono – Dennis Davis; and Windsor Park – David Dupre; seconded by Esry. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by Weibel to appoint Gerald Reifsteck to the Fountain Head Drainage District Board for an unexpired term ending 8/31/2018; seconded by Goss. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by Weibel to appoint Elizabeth Cropper to the Penfield Water District Board for an unexpired term ending 5/31/2019; seconded by Anderson. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Sheriff-

Proclamations

Motion by Rector to recommend that the County Board authorize a resolution approving a proclamation designating the week of May 6, 2018 as National Correctional Officer Week; seconded by King. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by McGuire to recommend that the County Board authorize a resolution approving a proclamation designating the week of May 13, 2018 as National Police Week; seconded by Harper. Motion carried with unanimous support.

County Clerk Report-

The March 2018 report was received and placed on file.

County Administrator-

Report

The March 2018 HR Report was received and placed on file.

Other Business-

There was no other business.

Chair’s Report-

Rosales noted that appointments expiring May 31, 2018 included various water districts, Urbana-Champaign Sanitary District, and the Board of Review.

Designation of Items to be Placed on the Consent Agenda-

Items A1-3; and B1-2 were designated for the Consent Agenda.

Finance:

Budget Amendments/Transfers

Motion by Esry to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing Budget Amendment 18-00010 for Fund 080 General Corporate-Dept. 077 Zoning & Enforcement with increased appropriations of $8,100 with no matching revenue to re-encumber funds approved in 2017 for demolition of 504 S. Dodson Dr., Urbana; seconded by Goss. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Clemmons entered the meeting at 6:53 p.m.

Motion by Cowart to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing Budget Amendment 18-00012 for Fund 083 County Highway – Dept. 060 Highway with increased appropriations of $900,000 and no matching revenue for CH 25 road improvements; seconded by Clifford. Blue noted that the Highway Department had received funds from Ameren Illinois for damages to county highways, including CH 25. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Fortado noted that no action was necessary at this time for Finance item A-3, concerning funds to offset a nursing home shortfall.

Board of Review-

Annual Report

The report was received and placed on file.

Treasurer-

Monthly Report

The Treasurer’s March 2018 monthly report was received and placed on file.

General Corporate Fund Cash Flow Projection Presentation

Farney explained that the General Corporate Fund had approximately $437,000 at the beginning of March 2018. There were three (3) payrolls in March, totaling just over $2.5 million. The County received a loan of $1 million from the Public Safety Sales Tax (PSST) Fund. Total revenue received for March, including the loan from Public Safety Sales Tax Fund, was just over $4 million. The projected ending cash balance for April is -$439,172. However, the County still has a remaining PSST loan balance authority of $500,000. The receipt of real estate property tax payments will begin in May.

Farney stated that the revolving loan to the nursing home was necessary on March 28, 2018 for $115,000 to cover payroll. It was repaid the next day. However, there is a remaining balance of outstanding loans to the nursing home totaling over $1.3 million.

Tax Sale Resolutions

Motion by Esry to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing the County Board Chair to assign Mobile Home Tax Sale Certificate of Purchase, permanent parcel 30-056-0105; seconded by Goss. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by Summers to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing disbursement of funds on defaulted contract for Mobile Home Tax Sale, permanent parcel 15- 025-0736; seconded by King. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by Anderson to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing disbursement of funds on defaulted contract for Real Estate Tax Sale, permanent parcel 21-34- 333-430-013; seconded by Goss. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Motion by Esry to recommend County Board approval of a resolution authorizing the County Board Chair to assign Mobile Home Tax Sale Certificate of Purchase, permanent parcel 30-059-0004; seconded by Anderson. Motion carried with unanimous support.

Auditor-

Monthly Report

The Auditor’s March 2018 report was received and placed on file. Michaels noted that the County Board would see a large list of vouchers on the Purchases Not Following Purchasing Policy Report because large majorities of the payments are for nursing home bills from FY2016 and FY2017.

County Administrator-

Five-Year Financial Forecast

Ogden presented the Five-Year Financial Forecast to the committee. Hard copies of the complete Forecast were distributed at the meeting. The Forecast focuses on the General and Public Safety Sales Tax funds and provides a context for future financial decisions and direction as the County begins the FY2019 budget process. The Forecast does not take in to consideration, either the continued operation, or disposition, of the Champaign County Nursing Home.

In June 2017, Moody's Investors Services affirmed the County's Aa2 rating and assigned a negative rating outlook. Moody's stated that continued financial support of the Champaign County Nursing Home was expected to weaken the County's General Fund balance and would place downward pressure on its rating. Strengths identified are a large and diverse tax base and modest debt burden. Challenges identified include enterprise risk associated with ownership of the nursing home, anticipated draws on county reserves, and moderate exposure to the state for governmental and enterprise operating revenues.

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is using an official figure of a 2.1% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for levy calculations under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL). Unemployment rates continue to fall with Champaign County mirroring the U.S. rate in December 2017 of 3.9%, and Illinois at a much higher 4.7%.

The County faces many of the same financial pressures identified in previous years: 1) State of Illinois, 2) Federal Tax Reform, 3) Declining Fees and Fines revenue, 4) Champaign County Nursing Home, 5) Infrastructure Needs, 6) Technology Needs, 7) Health Insurance Costs, 8) Hospital Property Tax Exemption Case, and 9) Annexations.

The County has limited control over the majority of its revenue sources, which poses a significant challenge for the County's General Fund when the cost of services, commodities and personnel expenditures continue to rise.

Department Heads and Elected Officials have continuously been willing to defer capital needs and technology upgrades, restrain commodities and services spending, and use special revenue funds for personnel expenditures and transfers to supplement the General Fund revenues. The County's Labor/Management Health Insurance Committee (LMHIC) has worked diligently to negotiate more affordable increases in health insurance premiums. Through labor negotiations, employees are paying a higher percentage of their health insurance costs. Without continued efforts to balance the General Fund budget, a structural deficit emerges as forecasted expenditure growth exceeds revenue growth.

Almost 50% of the Public Safety Sales Tax (PSST) revenue is allocated for debt service payments. PSST funds also provide funding for 1) Programs: YAC, Re-Entry, and Specialty Courts and Jail Classification Personnel; 2) Justice System Technology: Jail Management and Partial Courts Technology Software Maintenance; and public safety items scheduled for replacement in Capital Asset Replacement Fund; 3) public safety facilities utilities and maintenance.

There is a significant need to replace and upgrade the technology that supports the County's public safety offices, including ERP software, Sheriff’s Office business software, and jail management software. An upgrade of the Tyler/New Word Jail Management software is imminent, as support for the current version will be dropped in the near future and there is no support for the Graphical User Interface used by our current software version. Quotes for the upgrading the Tyler/New Word software are being obtained. This will also require an update to the JANO Interface.

Other technology systems that will need replaced in the upcoming fiscal years are the Law Enforcement Records Management System and METCAD dispatch software, which will be done in conjunction with other local entities. Additionally, for several years the County has been unable to reserve funding for public safety equipment scheduled for replacement in the Capital Asset Replacement Fund.

The Facilities Condition Assessment Report prepared by Bailey Edward in November 2015, assigned a "poor" Facility Condition Index (FCI) to the Adult Detention Center, Sheriff’s Office/Correctional Center, Correctional Center garage and Emergency Management Agency garage. A "fair" FCI was assigned to the Emergency Operation Center, Juvenile Detention Center and Coroner's Office. Some of the most costly public safety facility maintenance needs recommended in the next few fiscal years include replacement of roofs, boilers and chillers, security systems, generators and control systems.

The Champaign County Facilities Action Plan summarizes countywide deferred maintenance needs including public safety facility needs; however, the downtown Sheriffs facilities were not included in the plan. Per the County's arrangement with the Department of Justice, the County will resume discussions regarding its plan for the downtown Sheriffs facilities in July 2018. The ADA required improvements are estimated to cost $175,000 and have not been completed at these facilities. If the County continues to operate the downtown Sheriffs facilities, architectural estimates for maintenance costs within the next five years total $2.9 million. Five to twenty-five year maintenance cost estimates total $8.8 million.

Other Business-

There was no other business.

Chair’s Report-

There was no Chair’s report.

Designation of Items for the Consent Agenda-

Items A1-2; C3-6; were designated for the Consent Agenda.

Other Business:

Closed Session

Motion by Patterson to enter into Closed Session pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/2 (c) 11 to consider litigation, which is probable or imminent against Champaign County. He further moved that the following individuals remain present: Van Anderson, Temporary Special Projects Administrator; Tami Ogden, Deputy Administrator of Finance; John Farney, Treasurer; Diane Michaels, Auditor; Barb Mann, Chief Deputy of State’s Attorney Civil Division; Julia Reitz, State’s Attorney; and Kay Rhodes, Recording Secretary; seconded by King. Motion carried unanimously with a roll call vote 20-0. Anderson, Clemmons, Clifford, Cowart, Esry, Fortado, Goss, Harper, Hartke, King, Marsh, McGuire, Patterson, Petrie, Rector, Rosales, Stohr, Summers, Tinsley and Weibel voted in favor of the motion.

The committee entered into Closed Session at 6:57 p.m. The committee resumed Open Session at 7:25 p.m. Hartke did not return to Open Session.

Adjournment:

Chair Weibel adjourned the meeting at 8:41 p.m.

http://www.co.champaign.il.us/CountyBoard/Committee_Of_The_Whole/2018/180410_Meeting/180410minutes.pdf