|
Monday, July 18, 2011,
Commissioners met in regular session with
Chairman Ron Smith, Commissioner Walt Kirby, and
Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. Commissioner
Dan Dinning was out of the office for the day.
Blue Sky Broadcasting
Reporter Mike Brown was in attendance throughout
the day.
9:00 a.m., Road and Bridge
Superintendent Jeff Gutshall joined the meeting
to give the departmental report. Mr. Gutshall
did not provide a written report.
Chairman Smith asked Mr.
Gutshall if he has heard about the status of
funding for the roads that sustained damage from
heavy spring rains. Mr. Gutshall said
Bonner
County is now putting out notices
about Federal Emergency Management
Administration (FEMA) funding for their road
issues.
Mr. Gutshall said Road and
Bridge will work on dust abatement and making
chips for chip sealing this week. Mr. Gutshall
spoke about quantity and expense in relation to
chipsealing.
Chairman Smith discussed
the District I railroad crossing. Mr. Gutshall
said the area in between the tracks needs to be
paved because it gets dry in the summer time and
hollows out. Mr. Gutshall said the County has no
business working on the area between the
railroad tracks.
Chairman Smith asked when
Mr. Gutshall expects Deep Creek Phase II will
begin and Mr. Gutshall said he isn’t sure, but
he is expecting a telephone call.
The meeting with Mr.
Gutshall ended at
9:15 a.m.
9:30 a.m., Boundary County Emergency
Services Incident Commander Bob Graham, Director
Dave Kramer, and Boundary County Volunteer
Ambulance Chief Ken Baker joined the meeting to
discuss the mass casualty trailer.
Chairman Smith said
sometime back Mr. Baker met with Commissioners
questioning ownership and maintenance of the
mass casualty trailer. It was said Emergency
Management Services does not need the trailer,
but it is in the County’s name so there are
questions. Mr. Kramer said the Panhandle Health
District provided these trailers to the five
northern counties. Most of the trailer’s
functions are medical related and Boundary
Volunteer Ambulance is the entity most likely to
use it, according to Mr. Kramer. Mr. Kramer
explained what is in the trailer to include
backboards and pole shelters. Mr. Baker said
Boundary Volunteer Ambulance also receives pole
shelters for the trailer separate from Emergency
Services. Mr. Kramer said Emergency Services is
fine with transferring the trailer over to the
Ambulance Association and he added that
Emergency Services doesn’t have it in their
budget to maintain it.
Those present discussed
what equipment would be listed on County
inventory and Mr. Baker said none of Boundary
Volunteer Ambulance Association’s equipment is
on the County’s inventory with the exception of
most of the original equipment. Chairman Smith
said if the trailer and its equipment is on the
County’s inventory, there is no doubt it is the
County’s. Chairman Smith asked how the trailer’s
supplies are replenished. Chairman Smith
questioned if the County would be approached by
the Ambulance Association for maintenance of the
trailer and Mr. Baker briefly mentioned the
various maintenance possibilities. Chairman
Smith said labor could be provided by the
County, but who buys the parts as he isn’t sure
if it is Boundary
County that needs to put money into
the trailer. Mr. Graham mentioned transferring
the trailer’s title over to the Ambulance
Association. Chairman Smith said that may not
sit well with the Panhandle Health District if
they provided the trailer to the County’s
Emergency Services. Mr. Kramer said he believes
the other trailers that were given to the other
four northern counties were given to Emergency
Services, not specifically to the County.
Chairman Smith asked Commissioner Kirby to check
with the Panhandle Health District since he is
on the Board to see how they feel about
transferring the trailer and about grant related
issues. Mr. Kramer said as far as functionality,
the trailer is more in line with the Ambulance
Association than Emergency Services. If the
trailer is County property, Commissioners don’t
have a problem with transferring it to the
Ambulance Association, according to Chairman
Smith. Mr. Baker said the Ambulance Association
signed an agreement with Panhandle Health
District stating the Ambulance Association would
have a vehicle that would be able to tow the
trailer. Commissioner Kirby was asked to see if
he could find out from Panhandle Health District
if there is a reason in the grant that the
trailer cannot be transferred. Chairman Smith
said if something comes up and the trailer needs
work, Road and Bridge could be available for the
labor, but any parts expense would have to come
out of a grant or at the expense of Boundary
Volunteer Ambulance.
Commissioner Kirby
contacted the Panhandle Health District via
telephone and relayed to those present that the
Panhandle Health District didn’t mind if the
trailer is transferred to Boundary Volunteer
Ambulance. It was said the funds from the
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
Response “ASPR” Grant keeps coming from the
federal government to keep the trailer stocked.
Commissioner Kirby said he is supposed to
receive more information from the Panhandle
Health District. Mr. Graham said the ASPR
paperwork needs to go to the Ambulance
Association.
The meeting with Mr. Kramer
and Mr. Graham ended at
9:45 a.m.
Commissioners, Ken Baker,
and Mike Brown discussed questions associated
with forming an Ambulance District. Commissioner
Kirby said if the issue comes up, he would be in
favor.
10:00 a.m., Mr. Baker and Mr. Brown
left the meeting.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
grant an extension of time to pay 2010 taxes on
parcel #MH61N01E156757A until September 30, 2011. Chairman Smith
yielded the chair to second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
grant an extension of time to pay 2010 taxes on
parcel #MH61N01W255561A with the first half of
the tax due on
August 1, 2011 and the second half
due on September 2, 2011. Chairman Smith yielded the chair to
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
grant an extension of time to pay 2010 taxes on
parcel #MH00030000018AA until August 5, 2011. Chairman Smith yielded
the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:10
a.m., Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals joined
the meeting.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
go into closed session under Idaho Code 31-874.
Chairman Smith yielded the chair to second.
Motion passed unanimously.
10:20 a.m., Commissioner Kirby moved
to go out of closed session. Chairman Smith
yielded the chair to second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
put indigent application #2011-41 into
suspension pending determination of Pre-Existing
Condition Insurance Program (PCIP) eligibility.
Chairman Smith yielded the chair to second.
Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
approve indigent application #2011-42 with
reimbursement of $50 per month and 30% of tax
refunds received each year. Chairman Smith
yielded the chair to second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
deny indigent application #2011-44 based on the
Clerk’s recommendation. Chairman Smith yielded
the chair to second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
deny indigent application #2011-45 as the
application was not timely filed. Chairman Smith
yielded the chair to second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals
left the meeting at
10:21 a.m.
Commissioners tended to
administrative duties.
11:30 a.m., Boundary Community
Hospital CEO/CFO Craig Johnson and Hospital
Board of Trustees Chairman Elden Koon joined the
meeting to give a hospital update. Mike Brown
also joined the meeting.
Mr. Johnson said the
Fry
Education Building
still needs to have the exterior painted as it
only has primer so far and landscaping needs to
be done after painting. Mr. Johnson said there
should be an open house sometime in August or
early September. Mr. Johnson said an updated CD
of hospital policies will be supplied to
Commissioners next month and the Board of
Trustees Policy Committee is also working on
updating the Hospital by-laws. Mr. Johnson said
he is not expecting many changes to the by-laws.
Mr. Johnson said the
Hospital’s finances have been slightly in the
red after posting depreciation as the census has
been down in both inpatient and out patient
services. Mr. Johnson said he feels there is
just a temporary low and by fall the Hospital
should see the census come back up. Mr. Johnson
briefly discussed ways to streamline the waiting
room. Mr. Johnson said
Kootenai
Medical Center
is helping the Hospital with recruiting a
physician.
Those present talked about
the Swish Event held just last Saturday.
The meeting with Mr.
Johnson and Mr. Koon ended at
11:50 a.m.
There being no further
business, the meeting recessed until tomorrow at
9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011,
Commissioners met in regular session with
Chairman Ron Smith, Commissioner Walt Kirby, and
Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser. Commissioner
Dan Dinning was out of the office tending to
personal matters.
9:00 a.m., Commissioners held an
elected officials/department heads meeting.
Present were: Clerk Glenda Poston, Assessor Dave
Ryals, Treasurer Jenny Fessler, Planning and
Zoning Administrator Mike Weland, Solid Waste
Superintendent Claine Skeen, Chief Probation
Officer Stacy Brown, Road and Bridge
Superintendent Jeff Gutshall, Extension Office
Educator Carol Hampton, and Court Clerk
Supervisor Rose Sprungl.
Chairman Smith said
Commissioners didn’t have a lot to discuss.
Chairman Smith discussed the budget and said
when Commissioners do receive a copy of the
proposed budget and learn the County is short of
having a balanced budget, they meet with Clerk
Glenda Poston to work on finding which areas can
be cut. This year the County did not have to do
that and Chairman Smith said Commissioners would
like to thank the elected officials and
department heads for helping make the budget.
Chairman Smith said up until a few weeks ago,
counties were under the impression the State was
going to cut into county portions of revenue
sharing, but that is no longer the case.
Chairman Smith also informed those present that
payments in lieu of taxes (PILT) has been 100%
funded. The way everything stands unless there
are changes, PILT and Secure Rural Schools Funds
(SRS) will go away next year. Clerk Poston said
she believes the PILT will stay. Chairman Smith
said his feeling is that SRS funds will be
renewed. Idaho
is not the only state that is affected by SRS as
Montana,
Nevada,
Oregon, and
Washington State
are also affected. Chairman Smith said if SRS
funds don’t continue, he has got to think the
State of Idaho
will step in to open up the levy limit or
something along those lines. Chairman Smith said
if that happens, he doesn’t think it will be
political disaster to local governments as
people will know that it was not the counties’
idea to do that. If the State does not step in
and SRS is not renewed, Chairman Smith said he
quite frankly doesn’t know how the Road and
Bridge Department would operate. The County
would possibly have to form a road district and
that vote would have to go to the public. Mr.
Gutshall asked if the County could go above the
3% cap with a vote. Chairman Smith said the only
option he thinks may be available would be a
maintenance and operation (M & O) levy. Clerk
Poston said with Road and Bridge, the county
shares a portion of the levy funds with the
City. Chairman Smith said that should not have
been a reason for the County to not levy
sometime back.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
amend the agenda for
9:30 a.m., in order to make a motion
to sign a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Grant application for the
Boundary County
Airport as it is a matter that is
time sensitive. Chairman Smith yielded the chair
to second. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Gutshall said the Idaho
Transportation Department (ITD) expects the
Federal Highways District monies to be cut back
as well. Mr. Gutshall said he hasn’t projected
an amount yet because it hasn’t happened, but he
heard that Garvee funds will be cut off where
they are at. Chairman Smith said since the
County doesn’t levy for Road and Bridge, it
doesn’t affect the other departments in the
county.
Chairman Smith said he is
not sure if the next topic is politically
correct, but the County has not been able to
offer a cost of living increase in the last
couple of years so Commissioners sat down and
decided to offer County employees an approximate
10 extra days off per year that coincide with
three-day holiday weekends instead. Chairman
Smith said he has received nothing other than
positive feedback. Chairman Smith said he would
like to continue offering these days and he will
discuss it with the other two Commissioners in
order for that scheduled to start next fiscal
year.
Chairman Smith said in
saying that, the County really needs to look at
a possible cost of living increase for next year
as departments start going through their
budgets. Chairman Smith said whether that is
politically correct to the public, he doesn’t
know. Chairman Smith said even though employees
have some extra time off and he knows they
appreciate it, it doesn’t put money in their
pocket. Chairman Smith spoke of County benefits
and said a family rate can cost $1,400 per month
and the employee doesn’t have to pay that.
Chairman Smith spoke of the President’s proposed
health care plan and he explained that counties
cannot make any adjustments to their existing
medical insurance plans or they will lose their
grandfather clause, which can means higher rates
and possible penalties. Chairman Smith said in
other counties, employees pay a portion or their
insurance and a couple few counties pay all of
the cost of benefits. Insurance premiums are a
little better than one million dollars per year,
according to Chairman Smith. Chairman Smith said
there used to be an employee in the Clerk’s
Office some years ago and just about every
budget review time, this employee would comment
that they didn’t mind if anything changed as
long as the benefits were left alone. Chairman
Smith said he feels it is Commissioners’
responsibility to take care of County employees
in that regard, more so than other elected
officials. Chairman Smith said he tells people
that, but then adds that Commissioners also
still have to operate a County government.
Chairman Smith said he doesn’t have a problem
getting around to consider a cost of living
increase and whether or not the County can do
it. Since the State did not take away from the
revenue sharing it looks like things are getting
better. Stories in the newspaper also look a bit
more positive. Chairman Smith said he spoke to
Clerk Poston and she also mentioned the County
needs to start thinking about a cost of living
increase as it has been a few years. If the
County doesn’t do something and look into the
possibility and just continue down the same
path, the wages will be stagnant as everything
else increases. Chairman Smith asked if anyone
had any comments or disagreements. Commissioner
Kirby said he thinks everyone understands the
story. Ms. Sprungl said Judge Julian has
mentioned how cost of living increases affects
Public Employee Retirement System (PERSI)
benefits. Ms. Hampton said an employee’s social
security benefits and PERSI benefits are based
on the last five years or the highest five years
of wages so if wages are not increased, it
actually lowers an employee’s retirement
benefit. Ms. Sprungl mentioned the increases are
forecasted on the social security newsletters as
well. Chairman Smith said in that case it is
like a double hit.
Clerk Poston informed those
present that she is working to get the budget
published. The budget will be printed and handed
to the departments, but the budget will not be
final until it has been adopted by
Commissioners. Clerk Poston said she doesn’t yet
have the official property values, which is used
to determine the levy rates.
Ms. Sprungl said with the
state of the country and so many people
unemployed, if it comes to the point that there
is no cost of living increase, she is happy to
at least have a job.
The elected
officials/department heads meeting ended
9:30 a.m.
Commissioner Kirby moved to
authorize the Chairman to sign the Federal
Aviation Administration Grant Application for an
environmental study for future land purchases
for the Boundary
County Airport.
Chairman Smith yielded the chair to second.
Motion passed unanimously.
9:50 a.m., There being no further
business, the meeting adjourned.
/s/
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
ATTEST:
/s/
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser,
Deputy
|
