Fulton County Board- Finance & Insurance Committee Meeting Minutes
Fulton County Board Office, 257 West Lincoln Street, Lewistown, IL 61542
Phone 309-547-0901-Fax 309-547-3326-email csimpson@fultonco.org
Committee: Finance/Insurance Committee
Meeting Place: Fulton County Board Office, 257 West Lincoln St., Lewistown, IL 61542
Time: 5:45 p m
Date: January 5, 2022
CALL IN INFORMATION:
Call in number: 425-436-6352
Meeting code: 262 8269#
A Mask is required to attend this meeting in person.
1. Call to Order
Time: 5:47
Members:
Barry Beck (present/xxxxxx)
Susan Duquenne (present/xxxxxx)
Laura Kessel (present/xxxxxx)
BJ McCullum (xxxxxx/absent)
John Spangler (xxxxxx/absent)
Lisa Thompson (present/xxxxxx)
OTHER BOARD MEMBERS: Roger Clark, Nestor Madson, Mary Deushane
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,
GUESTS: None
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 (4-0).
4. Approval of Previous Minutes – November 22, December 8 & December 14, 2021
Member Thompson moved to approve the Minutes from November 22, December 8 & December 14, 2021, with a second from Member Beck. Motion carried by roll call vote (4-0).
5. Announcements, Communications and Correspondence – None
6. Public Comments – None
7. Claims
a. Discussion/Action: Claims
Member Thompson discussed the claim for legal services from Stewart Law office. There are Covid policy charges on the bill in January and there were charges in December for Covid policy work. Member Thompson inquired if the charges have been reviewed by States Attorney Jochums and ok’d for payment. Member Thompson discussed maybe Stewart Law office had worked on a Covid policy for the Clayberg of the Health Department and those departments should be charged for the work. Member Kessel discussed that the Clayberg and Health Department both have Covid policies in place and some work was done and charged in December from Stewart Law office.
Member Thompson discussed the retiree health insurance and the information was sent to the union last March 2021 and approval from the union has not been received by the county.
Justin Jochums States Attorney, discussed an email that was received from Stewart Law office for work that was being done for the county on the Covid Policy. The bill received is work that has been done for the county and needs to be paid. If additional questions need to be answered, committee members can contact the States Attorney individually at his office.
Member Kessel discussed that the billing needs to be more detailed. Jochums stated he will contact Stewart Law Office that future bills be detailed on the work that is being done for each department.
Member Duquenne moved to approve the claims with a second from Member Beck. Motion carried by roll call vote (4-0).
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
Treasurer Mayall discussed an upcoming meeting with Cole McDaniel from SRPED regarding the ARPA funds. A request for funds was received from the Clayberg, and this request is being vetted.
Clerk O’Brian discussed a meeting with Mauer-Stutz and the Village President from Bryant regarding the IGA (intergovernmental agreement) with Bryant storm water project and the projected cost.
b. Discussion/Action: Capital repairs to Courthouse
Member Arnett discussed the bell tower columns and an estimate is needed for the repairs. The last estimate for the bell tower columns repairs was $220,000.00 in 2019. An engineering firm needs to be contacted for a new estimate. Member Kessel discussed if this is the right timing for this project due to material costs being high. Member Arnett discussed that this is a safety issue with pieces falling off the columns. The Property committee will work on getting an estimate in April or May of 2022.
Member Arnett discussed the air conditioner that needs to be replaced and the last estimate was $20,000.00. This project would need to be bid out.
Clerk O’Brian recommended looking at bonding for the bell tower columns project. Member Arnett would like to look at the Capital improvement project money from the State of Illinois.
Clerk O’Brian discussed the General assembly enacted approximately $1.4 million for the Capital improvement money in the 2020 Illinois budget for use in June of 2022. This is just an estimate of the funds that Fulton County may receive for Capital improvement projects.
11. New Business
a. Discussion/Action: COVID Bonus pay for employees
Clerk O’Brian asked to move this item to January 11, 2022 Finance Meeting.
b. Discussion/Action: 2022 Safety Grant
Clerk O’Brian discussed this is a grant received from the Illinois Public Risk Fund. This year’s grant is $12,677.00. The grant funds need to be used by December 1, 2022.
c. Discussion/Action: Ordinance: Opting out of New Provisions in Low-income Housing Projects Legislation
Supervisor of Assessment, Julie Russell, discussed the rationale for opting out of both provisions of 35 ILCS 200/15-178. The two separate provisions allow for either a reduction in assessed value for a period of 10 years to 30 years.
Any reduction in assessed value on one property, results in a tax increase to other properties in the jurisdiction. The statute dictates local building trades must be used for the build of the low income housing and a signed agreement must be in place before any construction starts.
This legislation was created with Cook County in mind and is referenced in the language and blanketed the entire state of Illinois.
Russell discussed that counties with less than 3,000,000 have the option to “opt out” of one or both provisions by a majority vote of county boards.
Russell recommended Fulton County opt out of this Legislation. Fulton County would be one of 15 Counties to opt out with the passage of the ordinance.
Member Duquenne moved to approve the ordinance with a second from Member Thompson. Motion carried by roll call vote (4-0).
12. Transit
Comptroller Miles discussed the second quarter ended in December and work is being done on the quarterly reports that are due January 31, 2022.
The State fiscal year 2023 applications open in February.
13. Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Mayall reported County General expenditures of $695,758.15 and revenue is $858,630.99. The surplus for December is $162,872.84.
Treasurer Mayall discussed the health care insurance provider did not send a bill to the county for December. Next month the financials will reflect a higher expenditure.
The audit will start on January 10, 2022 and W2 work will begin soon. Treasurer Mayall will include with all employee W2’s an employee benefit letter that shows the gross pay, and employers cost of insurance, pension, FICA and Medicare costs.
OPEB (other post-employment benefits) will start soon.
The Highway three year IDOT audit has started.
14. Assessment Report
Julie Russell, Supervisor of Assessment discussed there is a Board of Review meeting on January 6, 2022.
The Board of Review will be reviewing complaints for the 2021 assessment year. Currently there are 20 complaints on file for 2021 and the deadline to file a complaint is Monday, January 10, 2022.
15. Executive Session: None
16. Misc.
Member Thompson discussed the Procurement card policy, distributed in order to give the Finance committee the opportunity to review prior to the January 11, 2022 meeting. The goal is to give each department head a county credit card to use for business expenses.
The Finance committee will be the overseer for the county credit cards. All charges and claims will come to the Finance Committee to sign off.
17. Adjournment
Time: 6:36pm
Member Duquenne moved to adjourn the meeting at 6:36pm with a second from Member Beck. Motion carried by roll call vote (4-0).
Minutes F&I Jan 5 2022
