WAYS & MEANS COMMITTEE
January 11, 2010
** NOT APPROVED **
Committee
Members Present
T.
Hopkins, D. Fanton, D. Burdick, M. Healy, K. LaForge, T. O’Grady, D. Pullen, F.
Sinclair, C. Crandall
Others
Present
M. Alger, D. Cady, P. Curran, J. Foels, L. Gridley, J.
Margeson, T. Miner, B. Riehle, D. Roeske, D. Russo, N. Ungermann
Ways &
Means Committee Chairman Theodore Hopkins called the meeting to order at 1 p.m.
Approval
of Minutes
The
December 28, 2009 Ways & Means Committee minutes were approved on a motion
by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Burdick and carried.
REFERRALS FROM OTHER COMMITTEES:
Public Safety Committee
Office of
Emergency Services Director John Tucker
requested a resolution to reallocate Homeland Security grant money that was not
spent in 2009 due to overlapping fiscal years.
The original grant in the amount of $63,000 was accepted by Resolution
No. 50-08, and $62,883.56 was spent in 2009.
The remaining $116.44 should be appropriated to A3645.218 (Homeland
Security, #C838270:E911 Communications) with a like sum credited to revenue
account A10.3306.EMG8 (Homeland Security State Aid Emergency Services). The request was approved on a motion by
Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator O’Grady and carried. Prepare Resolution
Office of
Emergency Services Director John Tucker
requested a resolution to reallocate Homeland Security grant money that was not
spent in 2009 due to overlapping fiscal years.
The original grant in the amount of $71,250 was accepted by Resolution
No. 41-09, and $27,568.24 was spent in 2009.
The remaining $43,681.76 should be appropriated to A3645.218 (Homeland
Security, #C838280, GIS Hardware
& Software Upgrades) with a like sum credited to revenue account A10.3306.EMG8
(Homeland Security State Aid Emergency Services). The request was approved on a motion by
Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Burdick and carried. Prepare Resolution
Public Works Committee
Public
Works Superintendent David Roeske requested approval to fill three (3) MEO (AFSCME,
Grade 10) positions. Two of the openings
were created from retirements, and one was created when an employee
resigned. The position is funded 100
percent with local County dollars. The
request was approved on a motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator
Burdick and carried. Notify
Human Resources
Mr. Roeske
requested a resolution to approve the Town of Alfred,
East Valley Road,
BIN 2213720, Local
Bridge #01-11 for funding
under the County/Town Bridge Cost Share Program (Resolution No. 65-95). The estimated cost of the bridge is $196,000;
the County’s 85 percent share is estimated at $166,600, and the town’s 15
percent share is estimated at $29,400. The
request was approved on a motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator
Burdick and carried. Prepare
Resolution
Mr. Roeske
requested a resolution to approve the Town of Grove,
Goose Hollow Road,
BIN 2214700, Local
Bridge #19-02 for funding
under the County/Town Bridge Cost Share Program (Resolution No. 65-95). The estimated cost of the bridge is $410,500;
the County’s 85 percent share is estimated at $348,925, and the town’s 15
percent share is estimated at $61,575.
The request was approved on a motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by
Legislator Burdick and carried. Prepare
Resolution
Mr. Roeske
requested a resolution creating a Capital Project for the Town of Grove, Goose Hollow, Bridge
#19-02. The request was approved on a
motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Burdick and carried. Prepare Resolution
Mr. Roeske also requested a
resolution transferring $348,925 from account H5120.200 (Maintenance of
Bridges) and $61,575 from revenue account H03.2300.5916 (Town Share) for a
total of $410,500 to account H5916.200 (Grove Bridge #19-02, Goose Hollow
Road). The request was approved on a
motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Burdick and carried. Prepare Resolution
Appointment of County Auditor
Resolution
Intro. No. 5 of 2010 was tabled at the January 4 Organization meeting after
Legislator Norman Ungermann raised concerns regarding a potential conflict of
interest in holding the position of Budget Officer and County Auditor. County
Administrator John Margeson who also
holds the positions of Budget Officer and County Auditor
briefly explained the difference between the two positions. Mr. Margeson indicated that the Budget
Officer’s responsibilities are set by law, and the primary responsibility is
preparation and presentation of the county budget. The position of Auditor was created at about
the same time the County
Administrator position
was created (LL #3 of 1992), and it was created to relieve the committee of
jurisdiction from pre-auditing all charges that the County needed to pay. Mr. Margeson explained how the audit process
works, noting the many checks and balances that are in place.
County Attorney
Thomas Miner distributed copies of a memo he sent to Mr. Margeson regarding
this matter. Mr. Miner referred to a
Comptroller’s Opinion where the position of County
Treasurer and County
Auditor were not compatible due to the
fact that the County
Treasurer is directed to
pay the amounts audited and certified by the Auditor. When the Auditor is not the County Treasurer,
you have your checks and balances again.
Attorney Miner stated that in Allegany
County the County
Treasurer is neither the Budget
Officer nor the Auditor, and he does not believe any conflict exists for the County Administrator
to be appointed as County
Auditor.
It was
noted that Resolution Intro. No. 5 of 2010 will be brought off the table for
consideration at the Board meeting this afternoon.
Recovery Zone
Designation and Bonds
Development Director John Foels requested a
resolution designating a Recovery Zone pursuant to the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) for the purpose of issuing Recovery Zone
Economic Development Bonds and
assigning Recovery Zone Facility Bond Volume Cap to the Allegany County
Industrial Development Agency
pursuant to the ARRA for the purpose of issuing Recovery Zone Facility
Bonds.
Mr. Foels
indicated that Allegany
County has received an
allocation of the national Recovery Zone Economic Development
Bonds limitation in the amount of $1.684 million and an allocation of the
national Recovery Zone Facility Bonds limitation in the amount of $2.526
million. Mr. Foels indicated that if we
choose to accept that, we will need to go on record and prepare a plan on how
those bonds will be used. Mr. Foels
explained that we would not be receiving money, but the ability to bond. We would, however, be eligible for a federal
subsidy on interest payments. The bonds
must be issued prior to January
1, 2011, but Mr. Foels indicated that it may be possible to apply
for an extension.
It was
noted that the entire County may be designated as a recovery zone, and the
Board would be assigning and transferring the $2.526 million of the Recovery
Zone Facility Bond Allocation to the Industrial Development
Agency so that they may issue bonds for projects within the County.
The request for resolution was
approved on a motion by Legislator Fanton, seconded by Legislator Sinclair and
carried. Prepare Resolution
Audit
Committee
members reviewed the January 11, 2010, audit of claims in the amount of $1,586,573.06
(including prepaid bills). Legislator
O’Grady asked if the $27,770.03 listed under Buildings and Grounds for the
Public Safety Facility was for the dehumidifier project, and Mr. Margeson
indicated that it was. A motion was made
by Legislator Healy, seconded by Legislator Pullen and carried to forward the
audit to the full Board for approval of payment.
Adjournment
There being no further business to
come before the committee, a motion was made by Legislator Fanton, seconded by
Legislator O’Grady and carried to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Brenda Rigby Riehle, Clerk of the
Board