South West Illinois News

The Jackson County Finance and Administration Committee met Sept. 19 for budget preparations.

Here is the meeting's agenda, as provided by the committee:

The committee is in charge of reviewing matters related to fiscal control of the county; health, dental/vision, property, liability, workers compensation and unemployment coverage of the county; and policies related to labor relations and laws with regard to county employees.

FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016 5:00 PM

JACKSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Call to Order

Committee Members Present: Elizabeth Hunter, Keith Larkin, Dan Bost, Emily Burke, Brian Chapman and Milton Maxwell

Committee Member Absent: Julie Peterson

County Board Members Present: Andrew Erbes and John S. Rendleman

Also Present: Miriam Link-Mullison, Susie Kilquist, Grant Guthman, Josh Barringer, Derek Misener, Larry Reinhardt and Michelle Tweedy

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

I. 16-0716 Chairman's Report

Finance & Administration Chair Elizabeth Hunter summarized the discussion of the budget meetings held to date and outlined the evenings order of business. Ms. Hunter also reminded all in attendance that she would conduct the meeting in an orderly fashion and all were encouraged to participate in the discussions.

II. 16-0717 2016-2017 Budget Preparation

a. Hearings

5:00 p.m. Ambulance Service

b. Budget Submission Overview

i. Interfund Transfers

ii. Health Insurance

iii.Cash Balances

iv. Revenues/Expenditures

Jackson County Ambulance Service Director Derek Misener presented the committee with the budget for the Ambulance Service. The budget reflected an increase of salaries for both bargaining and non-bargaining employees of 1% and 3% collectively; purchase of a new ambulance for an approximate cost of $100,000-the service would like to be able to rotate its fleet on an annual basis; all interfund transfers-expenditures only has been removed from the budget; request for FICA/Medicare, IMRF, Work Comp and Unemployment levy support-benefit levy was eliminated in 2009 to support the former Rehab & Care Center. The committee discussed the variances in various line items, pursuing supplemental Medicare and Medicaid income, how the service managed its accounts receivable and the interfund transfers.

The committee reviewed a spreadsheet titled Due FROM and TO outlining all the interfund transfers within the county as of November 30, 2015. After much discussion, the consensus of the committee was to eliminate all county interfund transfers that were not directly related to operations such as central services, accounting services, legal services, committee reimbursement and dispatching services. Jackson County Health Department Administrator Miriam Link-Mullison reminded the committee that the Health Department budget did include some interfund transfers and she requested that those transfers remain in place since some of the grants received by the department would reimburse/pay for those transfers. The consensus of the committee was to exclude the Health Department from the elimination at this time and to revisit the issue prior to the grant year.

The committee discussed if the proposed 7.5% premium increase would be adequate enough to cover the true costs of the health insurance program. The committee also discussed where funding would be obtained provided the current plan year does indeed fall short by $580,000 as projected. Mr. Larkin stated the insurance industry has advised that health insurance in the future would see higher premiums, higher deductibles and less coverage. The consensus of the committee was to obtain sources of potential funding for the projected current year shortfall and to budget on a plan year of $3.8 per participant.

The committee reviewed the revised Budget Preparation worksheet now reflecting the entire county plus cash account amounts. The committee also reviewed the Revenue & Expense

Comparisons for the various automation accounts and a description of all cash accounts held by the county.

The consensus of the county was to start with a zero based budget, honoring all bargaining unit contracts and budgeting the true cost of health insurance. Finance & Administration Chair Elizabeth Hunter informed the committee that the Jackson Board Chair and Executive Committee would like to see the Finance & Administration Committee's consideration of a Board Administrator with a starting salary of $75,000 plus benefits in the budgeting process. The committee and those in attendance questioned how this new position could be considered given that a zero based budget is being considered.

Old Business

New Business

The committee was reminded that they would be meeting again on Monday, September 26, 2016, to further discuss the 2016-2017 budget.

Adjourn

Motion by Chapman, seconded by D. Bost to adjourn at 7:35 p.m.