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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM090579September 5,-1979 79- ~ RECONVENE: The Board reconvened at 1:00 p.m, pursuant to recess. . Present: Supervisors Dolan, Moseley, Wheeler and Chairman- ~emke. Clif Nickelson, administrative officer; aim .7ohansen, auditor; and Clark A. Nelson,, county clerk, by Cathy Pitts, assistant clerk to the Board. Absent: Supervisor Winston. 1449 CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: 1979-80 BUDGET AND REVENUE SHARING HEARING The public hearing on the 1979-80 budget and revenue sharing hearing was held as continued. Hearing open to the public. Appearing: 1. Earl Nelson, environmental review director. Mr. Nelson stated that he put together a proposal that will help them to give more effective services to ,the development community. The workload is heavyo He is faced with the potential loss of a CETA employee. The proposal would place a minimum burden concept of .environmental review as a user fee supporting activity. A fee increase is involved. Contacts-with the development community indicate they are agreeable to tie fee increase provided it speeds up the services. ' 2. Dan Hays< Mr. Hays stated that he was here to express the feelings of several engineers and contractors who support the Environmental Review Department in expediting matters. He felt the department was presently understaffed causing costly but avoidable delays. He supported the employment of additional staff using the funds for the increase in user fees. 3. Bill Geddis. Mr. Geddis stated that he was initially involved on the committee that proposed fees for the agency in 1976. The fees at that time were set up as near as they could estimate as a self sustaining agency. SUPERVISOR W7NSTON PRESENT AT THIS TINE. Mr. Geddis stated that assuming a 1Z7 inflation rate since 1976 it would reflect 1076 factor. Since there has been no increase in fees since 3.976 they are proposing increased fees. Nr. Geddis set out 'the effect the lack of personnel has had for the developers. There is a subdivision in Thermalito of approximately 110 acres. Mr. Nelson has not been able to complete the environmental study on this and it has been in process for five months. This is costing in excess of $9,000 . per month. This is a very small part of the overall picture. The process on projects is running from eight weeks for a negative declaration. This is not a situation where there is no production. They are understaffed for the amount of projects in-house. Mr. Nelson is paying out around $10,000 in outside services, If someone was hired this might reduce the amount of money paid out. This could pay that additional employees salary. He would appreciate the increase in services and would be willing to pay for that. The increase in fees would be approximately 75% over 1976. Clif Nickelson, administrative officer, stated that the concept was great. The building and subdivision processes should be fu.11y self supporting. He knew there were delays throughout the land development process. The Administrative Office would support more staff if they can raise the fees to pay for them. Supervisor Moseley questioned Mr. Nelson as to rather it would be better to go outside for more work on to do it in-house. ' Fage•99. • September 5, 1979 i j 79- d September 5, 1979 Mr. Nelson stated that based on the experience he has had with contracting it should be a contingency measure. If you are working with the same people, they recognize where the problems are. They have much less control over the content of the environmental documents of the projects that axe contracted out. It is not the preferred way to go. He would still like to have the option to contract out for specialized jobs if they are needed. Supervisor Winston questioned Mr. Nelson on how many employees he has in his department. Mr. Nelson stated that as regular help there were 3-1/2 positions. and one planner on CETA. He was proposing that there be one .more employee added and the CETA position be transitioned. There would be five positions and extra help money for the one-half position. Supervisor Winston asked if Mr. Nelson had ever done anything about changing the policy of processing the requests in order to doing the obvious cases that were simple cases first. Mr. Nelson stated that in general they take the requests in sequence and try and process the simple ones first when possible. Supervisor Winston stated that two years ago when the Environmental Review Department was first proposed he cautioned the Board of the monster they were creating. The developers and builders are going to pass on to the consumer the cost. The newspapers say that the real cause of inflation is government when they are being requested to add staff and cost and it is added to the cost of the project. It is about time that people in government devise a means of performing the work more efficiently at the present levels of cost. They are making a serious contribution to inflation. He urged the Board not to increase the fees and enormity of the Environmental Review Department. The Environmental Review Department was originally in the Planning Department. They were critized and were told to work more efficiently. The work is getting done just as fast as it is going out now. He stated that there was one environmental person and one clerical help in Planning at that time. Supervisor Winston stated that he must insist that government, in this case the Environmental Review Department, devise a means of getting the work out. He did not think that the answer was increasing costs. Mr. Nelson stated that he was looking at the requirements the state has layed down and looking for ways to meet those requirements more efficientlyo He wants to look into data processing as a means of helping the situation. He has not had time to do this. The inflation cost of construction is going up due to the delays and the costs of interest. He is proposing a two week turnaround. The only other way would be to not do as thorough a job. The state mandates certain things that must be done. Supervisor Winston stated that he read that the days of the way out environmentalist is over. They are mandating to local government and increasing cost. Chairman Lemke stated that he had to take issue with the comment that government is responsible for this cost. The necessity of this department was hoisted off on the county. As long as there is legislation passing on more requirements to local government and the building industry there is going to be increases and building is going to suffer. Page I00. September 5, 1979 79- 150 September 5, 1979 Supervisor Winston stated that the Environmental Quality Act has been used as a delaying tool as a means to bring lawsuits to delay projects. He felt that the governing bodies are losing sight that the EIR is to be used as a guide and the facts are to be weighed in light of economic and social aspects. Mr. Nelson stated that they had a number of developers that are in favor of increasing fees. He was told this would take five weeks. He has one employee who is on the linen He asked that the Board make an early decision on this matter. Chairman Zemke advised that all of the CETA positions will be considered at the same time. DISCUSSION: SENIOR CITIZENS NUTRITION PROGRAM Jerry Hughes, Chico Area Recreation and Park District, spoke to the Board regarding the termination notice of Superior California Senior Services, Inc. He has been in contact with the Department of Aging. His concern is that they will probably be able to operate for two weeks. with the provisions on hand. They are providing the facilities for the food services. He was sure that the other areas of the county were having similar problems. He hoped that the Board would be in contact with the Department of Aging. If they are involved in the discontinuance of the program he hoped that through the Board the Department would be able to develop an interim system. This was a good program for two and one-half years. The clientele for the program~in Chico is some 70 to 80 people per day. This is not just for the nutrition program. He hoped that they could come up with some interim basis that they could join together and continue the program without hurting the senior citizens. He did not know how that could come about. Supervisor Winston stated that he talked to Mro Salter the head of the nutrition project. This action is happening as a direct result of a filing some months ago in May that the nutrition project would be short of funds and were. requested to file a revised budget and by June. had not done so. They are trying to find out how much money is left for the program. Mr. Salter hopes to have that information within two weeks. They are interested in the resources of this area which is now in a Triple A of ten counties. He gathered from the conversation with Mr. Salter that whatever the state does, they are not going to fund the present group. He recommended that the community representatives and the representatives from the Board meet and try to see what can be done on a volunteer basis £or two or three weeks to keep the program going. The Triple A will be reduced from nine to five countiese He felt this would be much more workable. He felt that this was a fine opportunity for the county to demonstrate that they can step in in a lurch, Supervisor Winston urged the meeting of interested people to decide what can be done. This could go to the first of the year. Mr. Hughes felt that possibly funds could be made available on a local level on an interim basis. They could support the program maybe from donations. He felt that it was important that the Board-was involvedo Chairman Lemke stated that this is going to be a time when the county can demonstrate the spirit of helping one another through volunterr work. He knew that the ability is there among the people of the county to carry the program on while the mechanics are being worked out. He would like to see the service groups jump in and do .a service for the community. There is no reason that a coordinated effort cannot • Page I01. September 5, 1979 79- 1451 September 5, 1979 be made for whatever time is needed. There could be potluck lunches provided without worrying about staff. Supervisors Moseley and Winston appointed to a committee to help with this matter. EXECUTIVE SESSION: The Board recessed at-1:50 p.m. to hold an executive session regarding meet and confer. RECONVENE: The Board reconvened at 2:16 p.m. following an executive session xegarding meet and confer. No announcements. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: 1979-80 BUDGET AND REVENUE SHARING HEARING The public hearing on the 1979-80 budget and revenue sharing hearing was held as continueda Hearing open to the public. Appearing: 1. Wally Herring, probation officer. Mr. Hearing set out some of the jobs and priorities in the Probation Aepartment. Mr. Herring stated that he had received a standard of what should be the staff of the Probation Department with the amount of cases that are handled. In Butte County they have 25 Probation Officers. Everyone in the department, with the exception of himself, carry an active workloado There are no true full time supervisors or administrative personnel. If the guidelines were used, he should have a staff of 42 Probation Officers which is a difference of 17 people. This is a stated standard. Tf you compare the staff by the population as it relates to the staff throughout the state, there should be 32 Probation Officers in the countyo On that basis they are short 7 people. Mr. Herring set out the jobs that the Probation Office performs in the priority in which they are handlede Juvenile Investigation This is in-take and investigation workload. These cases are referred to their department by law enforcement personnel. This is for ali young people that commit crimes. They are not runaways or truants. The number of referrals in 1978 was 1,000. These cases must be handled. Adult Investigation The number of adult referrals from the courts has increased 138% and the number of adults under supervison increased 74%. The number of referrals from the courts is about 1,000 per year. They complete an investigation of the circumstances of the offense and the background and do a full study. They have to write a report that runs from six to twelve pages long to make recommendations for sentencing. Juvenile Supervision The Probation Department has 400 juveniles under supervision in the county today. The majority of those juveniles have committed a criminal action. Adult Supervision These cases are those people that have been put on probation. They have 750 cases under supervision today. This is the last priority item. They have taken a number of these •cases and put them in administra- tive caseloads. There are about 200 of these cases. The person on • Page 102., September 5, 1979 79- a September 5, 1979 probation €i11s out a report and mail it into the department. As the workload increases, this is the area that will be given up first. Mr. Herring stated that there could be problems arise out of the increase in the work. He is not going to be able to give the community the protection it deserves. He wanted the Board to be aware of the problems. The second problem is that they are beginning to feel a certain degree of liability because the cannot carry out the court orders. They cannot meet these orders with the lack of staff. Clif Nickelson, administrative officer, stated that Mr. Herring wanted the Board to know what they were doing. The Probation Department has 32 employees. There were a number of CETA positions that were transitioned when AB 90 came along so that Mr. Herring has increased his staff relatively speaking over the last few years. They are aware that the department is below the state recommended figures. Mr. Herring stated that to put in as a budget item the request for 17 additional Probation Officers was not realistic. The Administrative Office would cut those 17 requested positions and then he would have to come to the Board to try to get them back, If the Board would like him to put in such a request, he would be happy to do so. He can submit a letter of justification. He did not feel that most people were aware of the functions of the Probation Department. He felt that the department had done a realistic job. There is quite an inflation problem when people are sent to institutions. The cost to build the institutions is quite 'high. He believes in restitution and paying of fines. The cheapest way to go would be to have the people remain in the county. The people on probation are much less dangerous than the people who come back to the community after being in an institution, it is unfortunate to see. 2. Clark Nelson, county clerk. Mr. Nelson stated that there was a merger of the Clerk and Recorder's Offices. The Board asked that this be done without overtime or extra help. He has certain people in the two different departments working side by side who are different rates. He has asked that Personnel review these positions for reclassifi- cationo In the Recorder's Office they have done away with the hand indexing. There has been a 30% increase in workload without more people. Mr. Nelson stated that the Judical Council did a comparison study of his office in 1977 and issued a report. They have implicated several suggestions that were in that report. One of the main thrusts was that he should convert CETA to permanent employees. He has 17 employees in the budget. .If you take off the two employees from the Board and one-half employee that is not related to the court and the position of the Clerk and add back the three people in Superior Court there are 16,5 employees on the payroll. There should be 24.4 people according to the survey, He has six CETA IZ and one extra help person. He is asking that the two CETA people be transitioned. He has over 50% of his people on CETA. He would like to have the extra help money he has in his budget left alone. He now has four CETA 2D positions. He is not asking for anything else in the budget. Mr. Nelson asked that his position be made equal in pay to that of the Treasurer-Tax Collector. In prior years, their salaries were equal. Since the Clerk's Office has been combined with the Recorder's Office he asked that his position be brought up to that of the Treasurer- Tax Collector. Mr. Nickelson stated that when the two offices were~combihed it saved the county a considerable amount of money. Page 103. September 5, 1979 79'- ~5 September 5, 1979 - ~ ~ ~ _ - - - _ _ _ _ _ = C ~ .- ~ _ -~ - _ -- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 3. Jim Johansen, auditor. Mr. Johansen felt there was a need for a integrated computerized financial system. The need has been spoken to in the past. Many department heads in the past were not satisified with the information they received relative to budget items throughout the year. This has lead to shadow accounting. He would like to get the system at minimual cost to the county. In 1977-78 the Board set aside $125,000 for financing of the system. That money was not used at that time. There is a possibility that the system will require additional funds. He felt the need was there and he had no other alternative available. The cost of the system could be very cost effective. An example would be the Short-Doyle reimbursement for the Mental Health functions. The claims would be prepared fo1.l:owing the close of the month, It would speed up the $150,000 to $200,000 revenue from the state. He is looking for any alternative that is available. The committee is looking into every alternative. The hearing was continued to September 11, 1979 at 2:00 p.m. RECESS: TheYs being nothing further before the xoard at this time, the meeting was recessed at 3x03 p.m. to reconvene~on Tuesday, September il, 1979 at 9:00 a.m. Page IOG.. September 5, 1979