Peoria Standard

The Peoria Special County Operations Committee met Aug. 25 to obtain a savings estimate.

Here are the meeting's minutes, as provided by the committee:

MINUTES

County Operations Committee

July 25, 2016

@ 12:30 p.m.

Chairman Phelan called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m.

Call to Order

A motion to approve the executive session minutes of April 25, 2016 and May 5, 2016 and regular

session minutes of June 27, 2016 was made by Mr. Watkins and seconded by Mr. Rosenbohm.

Approval of Minutes

The motion carried.

A motion to approve the participation of Mr. Harding via teleconference was made by Mr. Morris

and seconded by Mr. Salzer. The motion carried.

Informational

•

Mr. Sorrel introduced Gretchen Pearsall, the new Director of Strategic Communications.

New Hire and Vacancy Report

Mr. Phelan asked for an estimate on the amount saved this year due to vacancies and keeping

positions open. Mr. Sorrel stated that the report included in the committee packet shows total

annualized salary savings of current vacant positions at just under $3.5 million. He noted that not

all positions stay open for an entire year, and some positions are listed as unfunded. He advised

that staff could calculate a year-to-date figure and present to committee via either the weekly

update or as an informational item at the next meeting of the committee.

•

Ms. Parker advised that she has received positive feedback regarding the Cayemitte Group and

what they have done for participating businesses. She has also been working on a proposal for a

roll-out with one of the companies with a good feel for the construction industry and minorities.

She stated that after the proposal is complete, a further discussion on the direction of the MBE

Committee will be initiated.

MBE Committee Update

•

Mr. O'Connell advised that work at the Jail on central controls is proceeding, and contractors are

mobilizing this week in replacing locks at the Jail. He added that although some of the supervisors

on that project are from out of state, the workers will be local ironworkers.

Facilities Master Plan

MEMBERS

PRESENT:

Michael Phelan, Chairman; Phillip Salzer - Vice-Chairman, Brad Harding

(via teleconference), Stephen Morris. Rachael Parker, Paul Rosenbohm,

William Watkins, Jr.

MEMBERS

ABSENT:

Mary Ardapple

OTHERS

PRESENT:

Scott Sorrel - County Administrator; Mark Rothert, Shauna Musselman

- Assistant County Administrators; Steve Giebelhausen - State's Attorney's

Office; Carol Trumpe, Sharon Williams - County Board Members; Eric

Dubrowski - Chief Financial Officer; Rena' Parker - Courts Administration;

Gretchen Pearsall - Director of Strategic Communications; Carol Van

Winkle - Auditor; Steve Sonnemaker - County Clerk; Daniel O'Connell -

Facilities Director; Doug Gaa - Sheriff's Office; Gene Huber - Health

Department; Steve Rieker - County Board Candidate

Mr. O'Connell advised that the remodeling project in Courtroom 221 is proceeding on schedule and

he anticipates that work will be complete by the end of next week.

•

Mr. Sorrel advised that the next Strategic Planning sessions are scheduled for August 22nd and

23rd at the Jump Trading Simulation Center on the OSF Campus. He stated that Board Members

have received an email with a link to a SWOT analysis, and asked that members complete the

survey. He also advised that the Efficiency Team has been evaluating the accounts payable process

and have identified some efficiencies that involve the Finance Department and the Auditor's Office.

Efficiency Study

Mr. Sorrel commented that the two upcoming sessions will be traditional strategic planning

sessions; discussion of the outcomes of the prior team building and critical thinking session and

the results of the SWOT survey, discussion of mission, vision and goals, and strategies on achieving

those goals. He said the facilitator will put forward 4-6 strategic priorities which the group will

identify and rank, and there will be an opportunity to determine implementation of those strategic

priorities. He stated that the implementation component, consisting of a session including elected

officials, appointed department heads and managers, will take place in September.

•

Resolution

A motion to approve was made by Ms. Parker and seconded by Mr. Rosenbohm. Ms. Parker

advised that the roof at the JDC has been experiencing substantial leakage, with the damaged brick

being a result of the leakage. She advised that the damaged brick, in turn, is contributing to

interior damage throughout the facility.

Brick Repairs at Juvenile Detention Center

Mr. Sorrel noted that the recommended vendor, Western Waterproofing Inc., is a subsidiary of

Peoria Roofing. Mr. Phelan asked if the source of funding comes from the Public Safety Sales Tax

(PSST). Mr. Sorrel stated that the funds are in the Capital Improvement Fund budget, and both

PSST and the Public Facilities Sales Tax are the revenue sources for that fund. Mr. Phelan stated

that the there should be adequate funds to maintain both the Jail and the JDC, as the public voted

in favor of a sales tax to build and care for those facilities; however, those funds are being spent

partially on operations, which he considers bad policy. He stated that the funding for these repairs

should be coming from the Public Safety Sales Tax. He asked Mr. Dubrowski to review and clarify

the source of the funding.

The motion to approve carried, with Mr. Harding voting yes via teleconference.

•

Discussion

Mr. Sorrel advised that Planning & Zoning staff will meet with Board Member Brian Elsasser and

the State's Attorney in regards to the permitting process for the Akron Services facility. He stated

that the business is taking issue with some of the county's permitting processes.

Customer Service

Ms. Van Winkle advised that the Auditor's Office has had two full-time employees, with one of the

FTE's being split into two part-time positions. The primary responsibility of those employees was

performing the prepayment audit for approximately 25,000 claims against the county each year.

She stated that although she is hopeful that a new Accounts Payable process will reduce the amount

of work and time required, one of the part-time employees being shared with the Finance

Department has been promoted to another position, and the remaining part-time employee

resigned. She is requesting that the two part-time positions become one full-time position, and

that the position be posted both internally and externally. She stated that the office is budgeted for

one full-time employee.

Miscellaneous

Mr. Sorrel added that the position is union, and he noted that a review of the Auditor's budget

confirmed adequate available salary. He noted that the prepayment audit is the primary statutory

responsibility of the office and a key function of the accounts payable process.

A motion to go into executive session to discuss Labor Relations was made by Mr. Watkins and

seconded by Mr. Rosenbohm. The motion carried.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Regular session resumed upon a motion by Mr. Salzer and second by Mr. Morris.

The meeting was adjourned by Chairman Phelan at 1:36 p.m.

Adjournment