HomeMy WebLinkAboutFinance November 7 1991BUDGET HEARINGS MINUTES
November 7, 1991
The meeting was called to order in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest, 2nd Floor, by
Acting Chairperson Marge Laidlaw.
Also present: Absent:
Bob Imhof Mary Vanderpol
Dennis Vander Yacht (late)
Treasurer's Office
Whatcom County Treasurer Barbara Cory:
Line 11.1800, Confidential Clerk & Secretary: This person, in addition to regular
clerical duties, handles the property management for the County. The increase is to
compensate her for the extra duties she handles. Essentially it is a reclassification of the
position.
Line 11.9800, Out of class pay: This item is pay for temporary or extra help when
someone is sick or on vacation; it's a new item. The extra help amount varies from year to
year depending on how the tax deadlines fall in relationship to weekends or to vacations,
etc. Sometimes extra help is not needed, sometimes a lot of extra help is needed.
Portfolio Manager: Original request was for $32,000; Executive put it in for $40,000.
Cory had looked at how that position would fit into the hierarchy of her office and set the
salary there, but after talking to others in the field, she discovered that she could not get
anyone for that amount. $40,000 is still in the low end for that field.
Office and Operating Supplies: Tax statements and envelopes come out of this; these
are ordered in October and November; the amount remaining in that fund is budgeted for
this order.
Professional Services: Historically there are excess funds in this account. The increase
budgeted in for 1992 includes the banking services contract. Previously one of the
departments had a huge surplus that the Treasurer's Dept. used in their bank account to
offset bank charges. The auditors, however, recommended that that money be invested, so
now the County needs to pay the bank for the fees. The interest, however, will be more than
the offset charges.
Interfund Printing, Line 93.07: This used to be part of County Supply Purchases; now
they want to keep track of their printing charges and what types of printing they are doing.
Assessor's Office
County Assessor Keith Willnauer:
Woods and Willnauer discussed the
assessment programs and their plans for it.
on -going implementation of their computer
Minutes, 11/7/91, page 1
Deputy Assessor, 11.0200: When that position was budgeted for last year, it was
vacant and the office expected to hire someone at an entry level amount. The person hired
was at a higher level.
Professional Services, line 41: This amount relates to the subcontracting of timber
appraisal services. That bill comes in December and is paid before the first of the year. It
is about a steady line item, a services contract.
Line 31, Office & Operating Supplies and Line 93.0100, County Supply Purchases.
One of the major expenditures is for forms used for re- evaluation notices, tax forms, and
appraisal forms; this has been shifted to 93 because that's where it is now being paid from.
Line 48, Repairs and Maintenance: Seem to be budgeting more than they use, but
they've kept the margin though they haven't used it. Sometimes they have used it.
Training and continuing education for employees is disbursed somewhat in two funds.
Part is from travel and part is from miscellaneous. Continuing education is a requirement
for all employees. Sometimes they travel to Ellensburg; other times to seminars located
elsewhere in the State. Imhof suggested that a line item should be set up for continuing
education expenses.
Re difficulty in getting new construction values for Executive: The numbers in 1991
for the unincorporated areas where around ten times greater than those in 1986. By July 1,
1992, there were more than in all of 1991. This has created an enormous workload for a
limited number of appraisers. The appraisers not only have to pick up and process new
construction, they need to process all information on additions, remodels, or changes on
existing structures. The assessor expects the estimated number to be a little higher for
income than the estimate, but not significantly.
Line 11.9900, Payouts: Nothing has been spent so far. Assessor thinks it will be rolled
over. The expected expenses for that line for 1991 did not materialize.
Willnauer stressed the need for additional personnel, particularly a Property Control
Analyst. This position would have a "functional utility across every area of anticipated future
and present expectation and responsibility in the Assessor's Office." Wil1nauer elaborated
on the type of job this man would do and the functions he would fill. This position is for
internal support in the office.
Council
Clerk of the Council, Ramona Reeves:
The salary increases are due to reclassification of three positions in the office as well
as salary adjustments for the Council members. Reeves pointed out discrepancies in salaries
between comparable positions in the Executive's office and the Council's office.
Discussion about the networking in the office and about what the Executive does with
the Council's requests.
The B.O.E. members are asking for pay increases next year; our members are not
only doing a lot of the work on their own time, but they are paid less than B.O.E. members
from other counties.
Discussion about a modem -- convenient --and travel expenses -- increase probably not
Minutes, 11/07/91, page 2
necessary and benefits for Council.
Line 20.0700. This was lumped together with another area earlier, but the totals
remain the same. And, of course, there have been salary increases.
Other services charges: It is true that often detailed budget amounts are not being
used. For example, some Council members have not used their travel amounts -at all while
others have maxed their out.
Line 41, Professional Services: In B.O.E., for example, an independent appraiser may
need to be hired to settle a dispute. Then again, there may be no need for such services, but
the money has to be available.
Purchasing
Nat Dickinson and a member of his staff; Chris Mohnkem:
Laidlaw complimented Dickinson on his objectives and his work load measures.
Towel /Tissue dispensers: These are for the entire court house; we're in the pocket
of one company who years ago furnished free dispensers. Only one type of paper, however,
fits these dispensers. Dickinson would like to go out to bid for paper. That's who the
request.
Lines 11 & 12, Extra help and overtime: The increase in these lines is that the work
load has increased until a lot of overtime is being put in, but comp time is not working out
because they are maxed out in their work loads. This has been discussed with the
Executive's office, and this does seems to be necessary. Federal law does mandate changes
now; funds for overtime have to be available.
Line 93:0200, 0300, 0600, 0700, Postage, Copies, Equipment, Printing. These figures
are just moved from other County Supply in previous budgets so that they can be more
clearly identified as to what they are. The large total remains about the same.
Information Services
George Reid, Carmen Westman and Anne Bjertness:
Last year's goals were reviewed; most were accomplished totally. Woods asked Reid
to be more specific about his load measures. Reid said that in 1990 the total number of
computers ordered and installed in County offices was 50. This year, as of November 5, the
staff has purchased and installed 93 personal computers.
Additional Service request: The two priority items in this list are (1) upgrading our
current AS400 to meet space requirements and handle all the new software and (2) the
records storage management. There is not enough space for inactive records, and the new
space is not for these records.
The upgrade is that they would like to give access to every department to the central
computer. The upgrade would increase main memory, processing power, and disks.
Item 11.0400, Land technician: This position is being reclassified and replaced with
11.0100, P.C. Land Specialist.
Minutes, 11/07/91, page 3
Systems Analyst Programmer, Line 11.0600: This is for a partial year, probably 2nd
quarter on. This person will be for in -house programming. The salary was set after a survey
of five like -sized counties and represents a medium average. While there appears to be a
conflict between what Reid figures and what the Executive recommends, Reid doesn't see
one - -they need that position, but aren't going to fund it for the entire year. Right now the
salary amount is unknown; this figure is a reasonable estimate.
At this point there was considerable discussion about the new programmer position
and the contract provider currently used and the services expected from each.
Line items 41.700 and 41.800, Professional Services Contracts: Only about 1/3 of the
budget amounts seems to have been spent, but this is not the case. The money is committed.
For example, the phone system down there is so old that it is barely functional. If it happens
to "go south," it will take an awful lot of money to replace it.
Additional line item: Mini- computer move. During the remodel, they're going to
construct a new data center which will require professional services to move the AS409s to
the new data centers.
Line 35, Small tools: PC software and upgrades will be purchased out of this fund.
This year they were purchased out of another account which has been appropriately
decreased.
Line 64 is capitalized equipment for equipment with a cost of over $500 or a life of
over 5 years or something that could be attached to that piece of equipment and has to be
capitalized. That's major computer equipment, personal computer equipment, this year's
software and hardware for these systems. The new budget includes all the requests that
came from other departments that were transferred into Information Services so they can
keep a handle on all this stuff. One of the larger unspent items is for the Financial
Manager's software, committed but not yet expended (64.0200, Software License). It's a
reappropriation.
The extra help in microfilming is how they survived this year. It has been used to put
a developmentally disabled person to work. This is being made into a full time position in
1992.
The new AS400 is for Criminal Justice. The current one will be put out for sale and
should realize $25,000 from that sale.
Personnel
Larry Mans and Gail Kelley:
Compliments to Personnel for their Objectives and Performance Measures from
Woods.
Line 40 something, Professional Services and Classification Specialists: The
Classification Specialist is in the event that they had a grievance with one of their collective
bargaining units regarding the appropriate allocation of that job classification that could not
be agreed upon. The money is in there just in case it is needed. If the item were not
requested up front and the situation should occur, Personnel would be back with a
supplemental request.
Lines 43, 44, and 49: Travel is for his office; the current amount is more than
Minutes, 11/07/91, page 4
Committee's figures show, and there are several meetings yet to attend. Advertising is a
reflection of our economic conditions. All positions are posted in the Bellingham Herald for
three days. and need to be. Miscellaneous covers periodicals, handbooks, etc. With the
advent of civil rights legislation and Americans with Disabilities Act, additional periodicals
will be needed.
Line 64, Machinery and Equipment: This new line item is for purchasing
computerization and software etc. It has been recommended that the department develop
in this area
Did the Executive reclassify any. positions over your decision not to recommend this?
No. Personnel made certain recommendations; some were acted on and some were not.
Bringing reclassification requests to the Council would tend to make reclassification
political. But yes, some of the positions that Mans recommended denial of reclassification
have been reclassified anyway. His denials have a very interesting way of coming back as a
grievance on January 2 of the next year.
Line 49, Miscellaneous: The funds left in this account are associated with travel and
training and are committed; the bump up for next year is because of the greater emphasis
on training very specific to the employee's tasks or the function of the department.
Self Insurance
Gail Kelly:
The Occupational Health Specialist will be doing ergonomic studies- -body movements
aggravating pre - existing conditions of employees. This is the new targeted area for Workers'
Comp, which is becoming increasing liberal with their decisions. Ergonomics is a whole new
area of making the work place adjust to a person versus the person adjusting. Full
consideration, starting in January, must be given to all job applicants without regard to any
physical handicaps they might have.
Line 41. This increase is for the Health Specialist.
Line 17: 5176741, worker's comp. services. That's the medical costs for the Worker's
Comp claims -- physician's charges, physical therapy, hospital, etc. for claims fled. The
amount not spent deals with a time lag between services rendered, billed for, and paid. The
budget figure takes into account the worst case scenario. The budgeted amount for 1991 will
be spent because of the sheriffs deputy who was injured; one hospital bill alone is $61,000.
Executive
Tom Sutberry:
The Executive's salary has increased according to a formula set by the Council
several years ago. The Administrative Assistant's position was reclassified for 1991.
Administrative Coordinator is the same. Deputy Administrator is the same as in 1991,
though it was a new position and reclassification in 199L Program Analyst is a
reclassification for 1992. Budget Financial Systems Manager is also a reclassification.
Meeting, November 7, 1991, page 5
The Program Analyst shows about a 28% increase; that position came into the
Executive's Office at a salary lower than normal for that type of position; it was deliberately
set low in order to evaluate the work the position would do. It has done yeoman's work, so
this increase is to bring the position up to be comparable with other counties.
Lines 41 and 49, Professional Services and Miscellaneous: The Professional line is
seldom accessed. The misc. line is a variety of things like publications and anything that isn't
covered in any other line. The Executive's Office often pays invoices that show up and no
other department takes responsibility for it. These lines are for such contingencies when they
show up.
Discussion re two Growth Management positions: The question is, is the County
taking on responsibilities beyond what is necessary? Right now we're in the initial phases
of growth management, so it's a tremendous job to pull everything together that has been
working separately- -water districts, sewer districts, etc. They do not have experts on board.
They cannot pull together all the information needed without help. The hope is that once
the initial phase is past, there will no longer need to be a full -time coordinator's position.
The Water Resources person probably does not belong in the Executive's budget, but
they don't know at this time where to put it. It is a necessary position, though, and maybe
by next year we'll know where the appropriate spot for the position is.
The meeting was adjourned.
ATTEST:
Nancy Cohh, Acting Clerk
FINANCE AND PERSONNEL
COMNIITTEE:
M Vanderpol, Member