Fulton County Board Finance & Insurance Committee Met Aug. 16.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
1. Call to Order
The Governor of the state of Illinois has issued a disaster declaration related to public health concerns and Fulton County is covered by the disaster declaration. Pursuant to 5 ILCS 120/7, The Fulton County Board Chairman has determined that an in-person meeting or a meeting conducted under the Illinois Open Meeting Act is not practical or prudent because of the disaster, and board member’s physical presence at this meeting is waived and may be made by audio or video conference pending the termination of the State of Illinois Disaster Proclamation.
Time: 5:33 pm
Members:
Barry Beck (present/xxxxxx)
Susan Duquenne (present/xxxxxx)
George Hall (xxxxxx/absent)
Laura Kessel (present/xxxxxx)
BJ McCullum (present/xxxxxx)
John Spangler (present/xxxxxx)
Lisa Thompson (present/xxxxxx)
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Roger Clark
STAFF: Cindy Simpson – Fulton County Board Administrative Assistant, Audra Miles – Comptroller
ELECTED & APPOINTED OFFICIALS: Staci Mayall-Treasurer, Patrick O’Brian – County Clerk, Julie Russell – Supervisor of Assessment, Charlene Markley – Circuit Clerk
GUESTS: Steve Hines – Coroner
Media: None
2. Roll Call
Roll call was taken, quorum was present
3. Call for Additions/Deletions To and Approval of the Agenda
Member Thompson moved to approve the agenda with a second from Member Beck. Motion carried by roll call vote (5-0).
4. Approval of Previous Minutes – None
5. Announcements, Communications and Correspondence – None
6. Public Comments
Name: Staci Mayall
Address: Canton, IL
Topic: Short Statement
Staci Mayall Fulton County Treasurer would like to publicly reflect on the events that took place at the Fulton County Board meeting on August 10, 2021. Treasurer Mayall was questioned on the tax bills and why tax payments are being made payable to Staci Mayall. The innuendo following this referred to the City of Dixon, IL where $50,000,000.00 was embezzled.
Mayall stated that in the position that the Treasurer holds it is very important to have transparency and accuracy on what is being done in the Treasurer’s office. There has not been a request for what the internal controls are in the Treasurer’s office. Mayall stated that the auditors have not had any marks against the Treasurer’s office in all the years Mayall has been Fulton County Treasurer. Mayall stated she would not embezzle or steal from the county.
Financial reports are provided to the Fulton County Board each month. Mayall discussed Property tax collection and the Department of Revenue holds the Treasurer accountable at the end of each tax cycle. The Treasurer has to report why there is a variance on what was extended, collected and distributed.
Treasurer Mayall will look at possibly changing the Property tax bill in 2022.
Mayall stated elected officials are people and are here to represent the constituents of Fulton County. Mayall has taken pride in the work that is done in the Treasurer’s office by herself and the work the team has done and continues to do.
Fulton County has a policy for bullying and at this time Mayall will not file a complaint with the County Clerk.
Treasurer Mayall would like to go on public record that the conduct and treatment was undeserving and unwarranted.
Mayall would like to put this behind everyone and continue to serve Fulton County.
7. Claims
a. Discussion/Action: Claims – None
8. Transfer of Funds – None
a. General Funds Transfers
b. Other Funds Transfers
9. Immediate Emergency Appropriation(s) – None
a. General Funds Immediate Emergency Appropriations
b. Other Funds Immediate Emergency Appropriations
10. Old Business
a. Discussion/Action: ARPA Funds – None
11. New Business
12. Budget
a. Discussion/Action: FY22 Budget
Steve Hines Coroner, discussed the baby boomers are aging out and there has been a 23% increase of death and autopsies are up 40% in the last six months. This is the main concern for the coroner’s budget for autopsy.
Hines discussed that any prisoner that dies at the Illinois Correctional facility or at the Fulton County Jail the State of Illinois mandates an autopsy. The Department of Corrections has discontinued refunding the coroner for autopsy’s that makes it the responsibility of each county to fund autopsies.
Hines did a conservative amount for autopsy of $25,000.00 for FY22. This amount should be doubled due to the increase of deaths in the county. One-third of all calls that are received by the coroner. The Coroner has to be present. The cost of fuel costs and lab fees have increased and have added to the increase to the budget. Hines discussed that the county is not charged for office supplies, postage, paper, cold storage and body bags.
The revenue received is from cremation permits, and that foes to the Coroner’s Automation Fund
Member Spangler inquired if a person would like an autopsy for a family member who pays for the autopsy. Hines stated he is not a private investigator and refers the family to a pathologist in Peoria, IL and this is paid for privately by families.
Member Spangler discussed what the Finance Committee would like to allocate for the autopsy fund for the coroner. The Finance committee agreed the on $30,000.00 for the autopsy line item.
Circuit Clerk Charlene Markley discussed revenue is down in the Circuit Clerk’s office. This is partly due to the new criminal traffic assessment. A traffic ticket for $164.00 the Circuit Clerk’s office receives $46.00 with the remaining fees going to the State of Illinois and Municipalizes. Circuit Clerk Markley discussed that there will be no revenue on bond fees. The Finance committee discussed a 1.82% pay increase for the Circuit Clerk.
Supervisor of Assessment Julie Russell discussed the Board of Review fund is contractual, the BOR and Farmland Assessment review has no change. Training is zero as the current members do not require any training. Russell discussed two of the BOR members plan to retire in 2022 and the new members will need training. Office supplies is projected to be reduced by 69.97%.
The Assessment office has three employees that have continued training to maintain certifications and due to the changing statue of the State of Illinois.
The printing and publications increased due to the quad year publication notices for 7,500 parcels. Postage fund increased due to the short fall in 2021.
Revenue 101% for the township assessment work will be set aside in a future vehicle fund.
County Clerk O’Brian highlighted a few expenditures; revenue stamps have been moved to the County Clerk from the Miscellaneous Fund. This revenue will stay in the General Fund.
Office supply budget was reduced. Deputies salaries increased with the union raise plus five step increases in FY22. O’Brian discussed some of the fees collected in the County Clerk’s office help pay salaries in Zoning and the Assessment offices.
County Clerk O’Brian is proposing an $8,000.00 investment in IT services. The IT department needs more support. Currently the County is just getting by. The proposal is for $40,000.00 for the IT director line item this is an $8,000.00 difference from FY21. This would increase the IT presence in Fulton County to Monday, Wednesday and Friday all day.
The computer line item O’Brian is proposing a $25,000.00 increase. This would be for an additional server, licensing, and software. The County will be getting a new web site address per the State Board of Elections. Clerk O’Brian will use grant funds to get the website and this will apply to all of the Fulton County offices. The proposal would upgrade email to Office 365 and would give Fulton County a reliable cloud based email system.
Cyber security is currently good and the county has a great fire wall but this is always changing and is a concern.
Clerk O’Brian discussed the publication for the RFP for Health Insurance. Current O’Brian has received responses from four companies.
Elections, the State is mandating a permanent vote by mail list and that notices be sent to all registered voters in Fulton County. New voter registration cards need to be sent to all voters.
Member Thompson inquired if the polling place are nonpublic places and is rent paid for the polling places. Clerk O’Brian discussed that there are schools, churches and township building used for polling places and they are paid rent.
Member Thompson inquired about voting by mail and asked if this might provide an opportunity to consolidate polling places. O’Brian stated that this is not likely. O’Brian discussed that a voting centers would be great to have in Fulton County and suggested one for Canton, Astoria, Farmington and Lewistown. This would allow any voter to stop at the voting center and vote. Currently there is one voting center at the Fulton County Court House.
The County Clerk is checking into a vendor called Ballot Tracks to track vote by mail ballots.
O’Brian discussed the Miscellaneous fund and the annual audit can be levied for and this would free up money for the General fund.
Clerk O’Brian discussed the GIS budget and O’Brian is proposing the Zoning administrative assistant that is being paid from GIS, be paid by Zoning Fund.
The $8,000.00 for the Zoning administrative assistant would allow for the purchase of a new server every year or could be for licensing fees.
County Clerk O’Brian is working with the Fulton County Engineer regarding the Highway Levy.
Member Thompson discussed the Health department needs to pay for employee health care premiums that are coming from the General Fund. Clerk O’Brian stated the Health Department pays for the total cost of employee health care premiums but not the retirees. Member Thompson discussed this needs to be broken down on the monthly budget information.
Member Thompson provided a summary spreadsheet for FY18 to FY22 current actual increases.
13. Executive Session: – None
14. Misc. – None
15. Adjournment
Time: 7:48pm
Member Thompson moved to adjourn at 7:48pm with a second from Member Beck. Motion carried by roll call vote (4-0).
https://www.fultonco.org/august-16-2021-finance-insurance-committee-special-meeting-minutes/
Alerts Sign-up