Carbondale Reporter

Jackson County Finance and Administration Committee met Oct. 1.

Here is the minutes provided by the committee:

Call to Order

Committee Members Present: Liz Hunter, Andrew Erbes, Dan Bost, Keith Larkin, Julie Peterson and Milton Maxwell

County Board Members Present: John S. Rendleman, Laurie Nehring, Tamiko Mueller and Emily Burke

Also Present: Sharon Harris-Johnson, Maureen Berkowitz, Jill Stokes, Jennifer Anderson, Sandy Marks, Tracy Huffman, Sarah Patrick, Chad Hill, Mike Carr, Lynn Heins, Grant Guthman and Michelle Tweedy

Finance & Administration Committee Chair Liz Hunter called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.

Chair's Report

Finance & Administration Chair Liz Hunter opened up discussion regarding the property tax bills going out with an increase instead of the presumed decrease. The committee was informed that there are variables within the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL) that are out of their control such as: the consumer price index (CPI) as set by the Illinois Department of Revenue; the net equalized assessed value; the value of new property and the value of expired enterprise abatements. The committee was also reminded that those variables are "best guess estimates' supplied by the Supervisor of Assessments Office and the Jackson County Clerk & Recorders Office during budgeting season. The committee discussed reducing the burden to the taxpayer for property taxes are way out of line for government services and with today's technology government should be more efficient. The committee concurred that they would be best off reducing the amount with which the levies are set than trying to adjust the tax rate. Motion by Larkin, Seconded by D. Bost to cap the aggregate property tax levy at $12,000,000, Roll Call Vote YES: Larkin, Hunter, D. Bost and Erbes NO: Peterson and Maxwell, motion carried.

The committee was reminded that the figures presented for property tax purposes were "best guess estimates" at this stage of the

budgeting process.

The committee was informed that they would be reviewing the budgets as they were submitted; the requests have not been

updated to reflect personnel, health insurance, etc.

Finance

I. Budget Hearings

a. Treasurer's Office

b. Supervisor of Assessments

c. Ambulance Service

d. Health Department

e. Tuberculosis

f. University of Illinois Extension Service

g. State's Attorney Office

h. Highway Department

Jackson County Treasurer Sharon Harris-Johnson presented the committee with the Treasurer's Office Budget. The Treasurer's Office currently staffs six with three making approximately $20,000, one long-term employee making approximately $30,000, the bookkeeper making approximately $37,000, and the non-bargaining unit employee making $40,000. The office is in the process of cross-training its employees so that in the event of an absence the office will continue to function. The Treasurer's Office primary duties are that of collecting and disbursing property taxes county-wide and assuring that all county funds are securely held and made available to release monthly claims/payroll. A 6% budget reduction would be the equivalency of a staff person or eliminating capital outlay.

Supervisor of Assessments Maureen Berkowitz presented the committee with the Supervisor of Assessments and GIS budgets. The Supervisor of Assessments Office currently staffs eight including herself. Staffing adjustments will be made upon the retirement of the Chief Deputy and mapping will be contracted out to Bruce Harris with funding coming from GIS. A 6% budget reduction would be the equivalency of a staff person.

Interim Ambulance Director Kenton Schaefer presented the committee with the Ambulance Service budget. The Ambulance Service is staffed by twenty-four full-time & fifteen part-time medical; five supervisors; five clerical; one assistant director and one director. The budget does not reflect an increase in property tax support or the projected increase in Medicaid -the budget will be adjusted to reflect the increase upon confirmation. Personnel related expenditures will need to be adjusted upon reaching a collective bargaining agreement. Capital Outlay reflects repairs to the Murphysboro base, replacing an ambulance and replacing a supervisors vehicle. The service is looking into an AFG grant for an ambulance; if a grant is not obtained an ambulance would be remount. A 6% budget reduction would result in eliminating capital outlay.

Dr. Sarah Patrick presented the committee with the Health Department and Tuberculosis budgets. Both budgets have been approved by the Jackson County Board of Health. The department employs fifty-three individuals who work a thirty-five hour week. The budget reflects an increase in grant contracts/funding and a continued request from the County Board for IMRF funding. A 6% reduction would be the equivalency of a staff person or the elimination of capital improvements (heat pump). The Tuberculosis budget reflects a decrease of $1,017 in property tax support. The board will no longer accept health insurance as a form of payment since it did not cover the cost of the program.

Ms. Lynn Heins, Unit 26 County Extension Director of the University of Illinois Extension Service presented the University of Illinois Extension Budget. Ms. Heins also presented the committee with a comparative budget and Five County Budget. The service did not request an increase in property tax support. The committee inquired as to how the funding requests per county were derived; county funding is set at each county's discretion. A 6% reduction could be absorbed by the service, however, any reduction made would result in a reduction in matching funds as well.

Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Carr presented the committee with the State's Attorney Office budget. There will be personnel changes in the upcoming fiscal year due to retirements and pay disparity. The office currently employs eight assistant attorneys but could easily utilize the services of two additional assistants due to the case load. The committee reviewed the correspondence outlining the details of the budget submitted as well as a pay plan chart. Discussion was held regarding out-sourcing the civil attorney and a possible 6% budget reduction.

Jackson County Highway Engineer Grant Guthman presented the committee with the Highway Department, County Bridge, Federal Aid Matching budgets. The budgets reflect an increase of $17,169; $1,128; $10,445 in property tax support respectively. The County Motor Fuel Tax budget does not receive property tax support. A 6% budget reduction would be: the equivalency of not replacing an individual who retires under the early retirement incentive or eliminating capital outlay for the Highway Department budget; unadvisable for the Bridge budget since it is already a bare bones budget; and the reduction in Federal Aid Matching would be a reduction in matching funds as well.

Old Business

New Business

Adjourn

Motion by Larking, Seconded by Maxwell to adjourn at 7:35 p.m., motion carried.

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