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STATE OF WYOMING ) LANDER, WYOMING ) ss. OFFICE OF THE FREMONT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COUNTY OF FREMONT ) February 12, 2008
The Board of Fremont County Commissioners met in Regular Session at 9:00 a.m. with the following members present: Chairman Douglas L. Thompson, Vice-Chairman Pat Hickerson, Jane Adamson, Keja Whiteman and Dennis Heckart. Also present was County Clerk and Clerk of the Board Julie A. Freese. Jane Adamson moved, Dennis Heckart seconded, to approve the Agenda. Motion carried unanimously. Jane Adamson moved, Keja Whiteman seconded, to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting held February 5, 2008. Commissioner Hickerson abstained due to his absence at said meeting. Motion carried. Keja Whiteman moved, Jane Adamson seconded, to accept the bills for payment, with the exception of two vouchers to First Interstate Bank, pending itemized receipts and questionable charges. Motion carried unanimously.
Pat Hickerson moved, Jane Adamson seconded, to accept Title 25 bills on Voucher No. 20508F to Fremont Counseling Service in the amount of $100 and Voucher No. 20508L to Lander Valley Medical Center in the amount of $7,150. Motion carried unanimously. The following items in the Signature File were addressed: 1) Abatement Summary cover letter; and 2) letter of appreciation to Shoshoni Superintendent Dr. Cox for FFA Agricultural Issues Team presentation. Sheriff Hornecker reviewed monthly Detention statistics, stating the January average population was 129 in house and 152 total, compared to one year ago of 156 in house and 180 total. A Fremont County Juvenile Detention Center report indicated 23 new juvenile bookings in January. There were an additional 6 juveniles incarcerated in January but booked in a prior month. Total juveniles held in the Juvenile Detention Center are 29. Revenue billed for these juveniles for January was $8,400. The cost to Fremont County, if we did not have a juvenile justice act compliant and state certified juvenile detention center, for the month of January would be lost revenue - $8,400; cost to detain juveniles in another facility - $6,875 and transportation cost mileage and manpower - $1,865 for a total of $17,140. Communications currently has two open positions. Supervisors are researching the tenure issues and why the turnover seems to be occurring. Detention currently has four certified positions open. As of March 1st, Indian Health Service pharmacy will no longer be honoring prescriptions from doctors who are outside the IHS system, consequently, the Detention Center may incur a cost spike in inmate medications. The medical staff is researching alternatives. The Sheriff is considering ending the food service contract for the next fiscal year, due to issues with quality and quantity of food and constant staffing concerns. All Patrol positions are currently filled and the background process for a civil process position applicant is being completed. Sheriff Hornecker reported on a meeting with the Riverton PAWS committee. As a result of earlier discussions with the Commissioners, he requested the group come up with costs for the County for a one time infrastructure/structure upgrade and then actual operation and maintenance costs. Courthouse Security deputies have completed the structural audit of the Courthouse and the Riverton complex. They have determined simple adjustments that can be made at this time. Sheriff Hornecker stated the next process is for the deputies to visit with individual Departments to see what their training suggestions and policy adjustments might be. Sheriff Hornecker reviewed a year end Inmate Work Crew report. Inside/outside yearly totals for 2007 were 6,044 hours worked, 755 days saved for a total money savings of $41,525. He stated there is no way to quantify the money saved for the community. Sheriff Hornecker stated the cost of operating the program is not a wash when you consider the Security Officer’s salary, vehicle, fuel, etc. as he estimated it is about ¾ of the total cost; however, stated the tremendous benefit it offers the community. The Detention Center is having some issues with the Title 25 (Involuntary Commitment) process. He will be having a meeting and would like a Commissioner to be in attendance. They are experiencing placement issues as there are no beds available at Pine Ridge and inmates have to be transferred to Casper. In closing, Sheriff Hornecker reviewed an 8-hour training that he, Youth Services Director Chuck Kratz and Juvenile Drug Court Coordinator Lora Davidson presented for Sweetwater County. In order for the state of Wyoming to be compliant, two agencies that have Detention Centers have to have a certain level of training and this will help bring the State into compliance. Sweetwater County is considering a 100 bed juvenile stand alone facility as they now report they have 123 juveniles in the system. In closing, Sheriff Hornecker stated the Fremont County juvenile program, and specifically the educational component, is exceptional. County Planner Ray Price presented a plat for Morgan Corner Subdivision. Developers Mr. and Mrs. Carlson were present to review the one lot simple subdivision located north of Riverton. Dennis Heckart moved, Pat Hickerson seconded, to approve Morgan Corner Subdivision, as recommended by the Fremont County Planning Commission. Motion carried unanimously. Ambulance Director Lauri Wempen and Division Supervisor Dan Oakley reviewed interviews for the vacant Career EMT position. She stated preference was given to an in-house applicant who is currently an EMT-Intermediate participating in both the Lander and Riverton Division. The applicant displays good leadership skills and will make a great asset to the EMS program. Pat Hickerson moved, Keja Whiteman seconded, to concur with Director Wempen’s recommendation for the hire of the successful applicant for the Career EMT position. Motion carried unanimously. In other business, Lauri Wempen invited the Commissioners to an in-house meeting she would be having later in the week to discuss Indian Health Service contractual issues. In closing, it was noted that Dan Oakley had recently been selected as the recipient for the National Legion Representative for Fire Chiefs, which is quite an achievement. Items in the Signature File were addressed: 1) Forest Service bill for Fremont County Youth Camp (forwarded to following meeting); 2) Gabes Road letter of concern (forwarded to Sheriff Hornecker and Transportation Superintendent for direction); 3) WCCA request for county representation during Week I of Legislature (Commissioner Hickerson will represent the County); 4) Petition for Establishment of a Private Road submitted by Ken and Dorothy Thompson (Hearing Officer will be contacted for hearing date); and 5) representation of Fremont County Coalition to Promote the Responsible Use of Alcohol (Commissioner Hickerson will address). Transportation Superintendent Dave Pendleton and HKM Engineer Jeff Young discussed the Burma Road Engineering Study. Don Stone and Cleo Haggerty were present in the audience. The current budget for this project is $100,000; however, after decreasing several items (Website, public hearing), the total is still $120,000. This includes looking at the present route, with modification, and two alternates. Pendleton recommended transferring $23,000 funding from the Special Projects fund to the Burma Road Engineering Study project. The Board concurred with the recommendation and will include the transfer in an upcoming Budget Hearing scheduled for the following meeting. County Clerk Julie Freese and Financial Assistant Mike Stalder presented a preliminary budget hearing for the following meeting. Stalder was also asked to include the transfer for the Burma Road project. In a related matter, Commissioner Hickerson asked for a total figure on all grants received by the County for the past fiscal year. County Clerk Julie Freese requested an amendment to the Employee Handbook to include the County Coroner under the designation as an Elected Official. The amendment will read: Elected Official: Includes all those included in W.S. 18-3-107 and 7-4-101. Keja Whiteman moved, Dennis Heckart seconded, to approve the amendment as requested. Voting against the motion was Jane Adamson, who was absent during the earlier vote to approve the revised Employee Handbook. Motion carried. Freese will now send the final Handbook to the Departments and request the number of copies needed for each employee. Each employee will then be asked to acknowledge they have received the Handbook and the signed copy will be placed in their personnel file. The FY 2008-09 Budget Preparation packets were distributed to the Commission for discussion. She stated the major change she had asked for this year is a 5-year plan. She was asked to clarify this request by including several categories. The Productivity sheet will not be optional this year and a Grant Summary sheet will be new this year. The FCAG Capital Projects budget was discussed. The Board asked Freese to request a project status from five years back and list any projects requested within the last five years that has not been funded or completed. FCAG will also be informed the Commission will only accept health and safety (water/sewer/streets) projects. In a related matter, she stated her Department is responsible for estimating fund balance as discussed in a previous meeting with the Treasurer’s Office. She will compile a spreadsheet of what is presented as actual budget figures and how the departments estimate the remainder of the year to come up with the fund balance. In closing, Stalder was requested to prepare a salary survey as in the past years with the rate of inflation added. Thomas Fuller, Manager of the Wyoming Business Council State Energy Program and Steven Hastings, Consultant, were present to present an overview of the Wyoming Business Council’s Wyoming Energy Conservation Improvement Program. Building Maintenance Supervisor Phil Huff was present in the audience. The program offers an Energy Performance Contract Based Program; Pre-Qualified Energy Service Companies and is managed by the Wyoming Business Council-State Energy Office. The Energy Performance Contract is a vehicle through which energy efficiency and capital upgrade improvements are funded (fully or partially) by the energy and maintenance cost savings they generate when the implementation costs are financed over a period of time. Following the discussion, Huff stated the electrical audit would provide a cost savings; however, he feels the natural gas component is sufficient. He volunteered to discuss the program in depth with the representatives and give them total square feet on county buildings. He will purse the issue and report back. Commissioner Heckart reported on an Executive Health Committee meeting he attended. The Committee will have a recommendation before the Board in March regarding their premium schedule. He attended a meeting last week with Riverton City officials and Fremont County Fair Board representatives regarding water issues at the Fairgrounds. Commissioner Adamson will attend an Urban Transportation Systems Committee meeting in Riverton on Thursday where discussion on the Riverview Road project will be held. She will attend the Fremont County Association of Governments meeting Thursday evening in Lander and then an Adult Drug Court meeting on Friday morning. Commissioner Whiteman informed the Board that the Lander Extension Office has a vacancy for a Secretary. Their concern is they have not budgeted for county insurance as the former employee did not participate in the county plan. If the new hire request the county insurance, they will be over-budget. She is concerned about the status of the Extension Suburban and will visit with Vehicle Maintenance to see when the unit is expected to arrive. She will participate in a Poverty Simulation Workshop on Friday morning and invited fellow commissioners to attend. There will be a Library reception at the Plains Hotel in Cheyenne on February 20th and Fremont County Library Director Jill Rourke had earlier invited the Commissioners if there schedule permitted while they are in Cheyenne next week. Rourke had also asked for clarification on the “buying locally” memorandum that had been sent out. As there is no set percentage of when to purchase locally as opposed to outside the county, the final comment was to use your best judgment. She requested specific information on the one percent specific purpose tax. She attended a Fremont County Alcohol Crisis Center meeting where transitional housing was discussed. She stated there is more than one entity working on this area, specifically the Fremont Counseling Board. Commissioner Hickerson will meet with Dubois Fire District representative Reg Phillips regarding the Fire Hall budget issues. He will be in Cheyenne the remainder of the week representing the Wyoming County Commissioners Association at the Legislature. He requested Commissioner Adamson take information to the FCAG meeting relating to State Lands and Investments Board funding and county match money. Commissioner Thompson attended a Museum Board appreciation last weekend. Lander Museum Director Heather Watson gave a very informative presentation on internet access issues. The Town Meeting in Pavillion went very well last evening and there was a good attendance. Commissioner Adamson was asked to see about scheduling a Town Meeting in Shoshoni within the next several months. He will draft a letter to Bureau of Land Management authorizing the Coalition of Local Governments consultant, David Allison, to represent Fremont County at the BLM Resource Plan Meetings if Commissioner Thompson is unavailable. He briefly reviewed the GIS meeting where the U.S. Census Bureau Local Update of Census Addresses (LUCA) program was discussed. Various departments will be handling different aspects. Jane Adamson moved, Pat Hickerson seconded, to adjourn into Executive Session regarding personnel. Motion carried unanimously. Jane Adamson moved, Pat Hickerson seconded, to return to Regular Session. Motion carried unanimously. There being no further business, Dennis Heckart moved, Jane Adamson seconded, to adjourn the meeting at 3:10 p.m. and reconvene on February 19, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. Motion carried unanimously.
/s/ DOUGLAS L. THOMPSON, CHAIRMAN FREMONT COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
/s/ JULIE A. FREESE, COUNTY CLERK AND CLERK OF THE BOARD
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