WCDHHS Board Meeting Minutes

September 25, 2013

Waupaca County Courthouse

Room 1068

Waupaca, WI

Members Present:  Don Morgan, Carl Kietzmann, Jerry Murphy, Jan Lehrer, Don Aasen, Dr. Steven Goedderz, Mary Kay Poehlman

Members Excused:  David Neumann, Elizabeth Tautges

Members Absent:  None

Staff Present:  Chuck Price, Lana Draeger, Jennifer Brickey, Heidi Dombrowski, Gene Ruppert, Dana Strohm, Celeste Leider, Shannon Kelly, Gail Yest, Terri Brooks, Christie Gonwa, Chris Machamer

Public Comment:  None

The special meeting of the Health and Human Services Board to discuss the 2014 DHHS Budget was called to order by Chair Jerry Murphy.

Chair Murphy requested to move the financial budget discussion to the beginning of the agenda.  Motion by Lehrer, second by Morgan, to accept agenda with revision.  Motion carried.

Budget Discussion –

Heidi Dombrowski, County Finance Director, presented the Department’s 2014 budget.  Chuck and Managers compiled the budget and forwarded numbers to Finance Department for finalizing.  The budget remains with a 0% levy increase.  All programs from the 2013 budget are in the 2014 budget.  Additional programs included in the budget the Comprehensive Community Services and an Internship Program through WCI.  There are anticipated revenues to offset the Internship Program, however, we won’t know until later in the year about the Comprehensive Community Services Program.  The salary increases includes staff going through the step process, new Economic Support positions, FICA, WRS, and insurance premiums.  A portion of insurance is going up because of the Affordable Care Act. 

Contracted services are being decreased.  Many budgets are looking at preventative measures.  Another reduction is $144,000 for LogistiCare Contract.  $100,000 was budgeted for Organizational Effectiveness, with a possible future recommendation to the Board to fund outcomes.

$50,400 was budgeted for a 20% match for the purchase of three buses under the 5310 Transportation Grant.

Contingency Appropriations of $222,204 was set aside as fall-back dollars for any unanticipated expenditures.  In 2012, DHHS increased its fund balance by $172,000.  We have a healthy fund balance.  Family Care contribution was reduced by $240,463.  The increase in this budget is for personal services.

New and expanded position requests are not reflected in this budget until they have gone through the entire county process.  If passed by DHHS Board, they then go to HR/Finance, and full County Board for approval.  If approved, they come off the $222,204 contingency appropriations.

Heidi reviewed a chart of the budget from 2009 through 2014 proposed, along with a general breakdown of the budget by Unit.  There is one new position request and four expanded position requests.  WCI is requesting four capital outlay items.

Jan asked about mental health expansion, as proposed by President Obama.  Dollars are being given to states, but we do not know at this time what those dollars will be.  Chuck is partnering with other counties to look at programs.

Chair Murphy recommended Director Price pass the budget on to Finance.  Chair Murphy highly praised the managers and direct staff for their services and work on the budget, along with the work Heidi has done in preparing the budget.

The budget will be brought back to the Board next Wednesday for action.  If anyone has questions on the budget before Wednesday, they can call Jennifer.

Shannon Kelly reviewed a request for CLTS Limited Term Employee.  There has been a vacancy in that position since July when the former employee retired.  Services are being backed up due to that position vacancy.  Shannon Kelly is requesting an LTE to help determine eligibility for new referrals.  Some children are on a waitlist, which is about 18 months at this time.  She is requesting to hire Bill Gonwa, who retired in July, to work a maximum of 16 hours per week to do the assessments and train new employees on the programs.  Shannon stated it is very difficult finding employees with experience in these programs, and we know Bill has the ability to do the work and be able to train new employees.  We currently have 9 children waiting to be assessed; 9 determined eligible and on the waitlist; and 2 children are on the autism waitlist.  Chair Murphy questioned a sunset date on the LTE request.  He suggested we hire Bill for a 3-month period.  After those 3 months, hopefully, a new employee will be hired, and if there is still a need for the LTE, to make a request to the Board to extend the LTE time.  Motion by Lehrer to extend the LTE for up to 6 months, second by Poehlman.  Dr. Goedderz questioned the pay and duties of the LTE.  He will be doing assessments as he had done in the past, including determining eligibility and putting on a waitlist, is a very time consuming process.  He would also be training new employees.  Mandy Welch in HR recommended the pay rate.  Motion carried.

Next meeting is October 2.  We will approve the budget at this meeting.  Motion by Lehrer, second by Aasen, to adjourn at 7:05 pm.

Submitted by,

Lana Draeger

Office Manager

Approved by,

________________