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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2006.06.05 - 36090WILLIAM R. PATTERSON Chairperson CHRISTINE LONG Vice Chairperson MATTIE MCKINNEY HATCHETT Minority Vice Chairperson June 5, 2006 Chairperson Patterson called the meeting of the General Government Committee to order at 2:05 p.m. in Committee Room A, Commissioners’ Wing, County Service Center, Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: William R. Patterson, Christine Long, Mattie McKinney Hatchett, Hugh D. Crawford, Eric Wilson, Eileen Kowall, Will Molnar, Vincent Gregory, David Coulter, Tim Melton COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: None OTHERS PRESENT AVIATION Karl Randall, Manager CHILDREN’S VILLAGE Jody Overall, Manager ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & COMM. AFFAIRS Doug Smith, Director EXECUTIVE OFFICES Dennis Toffolo, Deputy County Executive Carmen Talbot, State Gov. Liaison FRIEND OF THE COURT CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Patricia Armstrong, Ph.D. David Taylor HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Thomas Gordon, Ph.D., Director HUMAN RESOURCES Heather Mason, Analyst MANAGEMENT & BUDGET Linda Pearson, Financial Analyst STRATEGIC PUBLIC AFFAIRS Kim Haefner, Lobbyist PEDS Lynda Earhart, Business Consultant WATERFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT Nadine Milostar, Director, Special Education Thomas Wiseman, Asst. Superintendent, Bus. Services Bill Holbrook, Associate Director of Business Services THE DETROIT NEWS Maureen Feighan, Reporter GENERAL PUBLIC Tim Greimel, Attorney BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Tom Middleton, Commissioner, District #4 Larry Doyle, Administrative Director Harvey Wedell, Senior Analyst Sheryl Mitchell, Senior Analyst Pamela Worthington, Committee Coordinator OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0470 Telephone (248) 858-0100 FAX (248) 858 -1572 GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Hugh D. Crawford Eric Wilson Eileen Kowall Will Molnar Vincent Gregory David Coulter Tim Melton GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 2 June 5, 2006 PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PUBLIC COMMENT Dr. Armstrong, Chairperson, Friend of the Court Citizen Advisory Committee, asked the committee for support to reappoint her to the Friend of the Court Citizen Advisory Committee. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Kowall moved approval of the minutes of May 15, 2006, as printed. Supported by Coulter. Motion carried on a voice vote. AGENDA ITEMS 1. CENTRAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT/AVIATION AND TRANSPORTATION DIVISION – REPLACEMENT OF CONTRACTED SERVICES WITH PTNE POSITIONS The Aviation and Transportation Division of Central Services is requesting four proprietary revenue funded part-time, non-eligible 1,000 hour/year General Helper positions to replace the contracted employees from New Hudson Aero, LLC. The current contract between New Hudson Aero, LLC and the Oakland/Troy Airport is scheduled to expire on May 31, 2006. These positions are required to ensure compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. Gregory moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Crawford. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 2. CENTRAL SERVICES – OAKLAND/TROY AIRPORT 2006 GRANT PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE – AIRPORT PAVEMENT MARKING The Michigan Department of Transportation awarded the County of Oakland $5,000 in grant funding, which includes $2,500 from the State of Michigan and a County match of $2,500, which is available from the airport fund. The funds would be used for airport pavement marking at the Oakland/Troy Airport. The resolution authorizes acceptance of the grant funding. Wilson moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Kowall. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 3. CENTRAL SERVICES – OAKLAND/SOUTHWEST AIRPORT 2006 GRANT PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE – AIRPORT PAVEMENT MARKING The Michigan Department of Transportation awarded the County of Oakland $5,000 in grant funding, which includes $2,500 from the State of Michigan and a County match of $2,500, which is available from the airport fund. The funds would be used for airport pavement marking at the Oakland/Southwest Airport. The resolution authorizes acceptance of the grant funding. Crawford moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Gregory. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 3 June 5, 2006 4. CENTRAL SERVICES – OAKLAND COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 2006 GRANT PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE – AIRPORT PAVEMENT MARKING The Michigan Department of Transportation awarded the County of Oakland $15,000 in grant funding, which includes $7,500 from the State of Michigan and a County match of $7,500, which is available from the airport fund. The funds would be used for airport pavement marking at the Oakland County International Airport. The resolution authorizes acceptance of the grant funding. Crawford moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Gregory. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. AGENDA Chairperson Patterson suggested moving Item #5 down on the agenda to allow Commissioner Middleton time to arrive to present his resolution. 6. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/CHILDREN’S VILLAGE, 2006 -2008 WATERFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT AGREEMENT (POSTPONED FROM MAY 15TH MEETING) It is the mandate of statutory law that the Waterford School District shall educate all pupils within its district. The resolution authorizes the execution of an agreement between Oakland County and the Waterford School District for on -site educational services, including summer school, to be provided by the Waterford School District at Children’s Village School, as we ll as secure detention education sites located in J Building, A-North Building and A-South Building on the Children’s Village campus. The agreement would be for three years, beginning July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2009, with annual budget negotiations to begin no later than February 28 of each year. The net cost to Oakland County for the Fiscal Year 2006-2007 Children’s Village Operating Agreement is $489,789. The funding for this agreement is subject to the County Board of Commissioners’ budget process. Dr. Gordon invited Mr. Wiseman, Assistant Superintendent, and Mr. Holbrook, Associate Director of Business Services, as well as Ms. Milostar, Director of Special Education to give a presentation to the General Government Committee and be available to an swer questions from the committee. Dr. Gordon passed out a document with some additional information about Children’s Village. It stated that 54% of the youths placed in Children’s Village are identified as special education students by the Michigan Department of Education, and 46% of the youths in Children’s Village are regular education students with other special needs. It also stated that over the last ten agreement periods the average annual increase to Oakland County has been approximately 2.5%. A PowerPoint presentation was given by the Waterford School District staff. Commissioner Melton expressed his concern that it costs about twice as much to teach a student in Children’s Village versus a teacher in his district. Mr. Wiseman explained that the teachers have been there a long time, and their salaries are not at the low end. He said that three or four teachers had been eliminated over several years ago, and the assistant director position was also eliminated. Mr. Wiseman said that they need ex perienced teachers at the Children’s Village because of the types of students that are there. They have 13 special education teachers, and 5 general education teachers. He mentioned that they have 1200 students go through Children’s GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 4 June 5, 2006 Village annually. Commissioner Hatchett stated that it is a fat budget. No school district can afford a fat budget now. She said they need to cut some fat and get down to the lean. She asked for information regarding how much the lowest cost facility and the highest cost facility pays for special education children to be taught and what kind of programs are they provided. Commissioner Melton asked what the average cost, per student, was for special education. Mr. Wiseman stated that those students are upwards of $30,000 per year on average. Commissioner Kowall expressed her concern about the special education students’ needs, and that teachers who teach special education students cost more. Commissioner Molnar stated that he would like to see the Waterford School District work backward from the $2,553,876 proposed budget. Kowall moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Crawford. Crawford moved approval of the attached suggested resolution, contingent upon the Waterford School District bringing a revised budget proposal to the Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, June 8th, eliminating some line items, such as the driver’s training program. Supported by Kowall. ROLL CALL VOTE: AYES: Crawford, Wilson, Kowall, Patterson (4) NAYS: Long, Hatchett, Molnar, Gregory, Coulter, Melton (6) Motion failed. Melton moved to postpone approval of the attached suggested resolution until the next scheduled General Government Committee meeting, unless a special meeting is called by the Chair. Supported by Long. Motion carried on a roll call vote with Crawford, Kowall and Patterson voting no. 5. MR #06101 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SUPPORT FOR COMBINED DRIVER’S LICENSE AND PASSPORT The Real ID Act of 2005 and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require a passport or the equivalent to document re-entry to the United States by January 1, 2008. Michigan Secretary of State Terry Lynn Land has proposed a dual driver’s license/passport that would simplify the federal requirements for foreign travel by combining a state’s driver’s license with the federal passport into a single document . The resolution reflects that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports the concept of a combined driver’s license and passport to meet the national security measures required under the Real ID Act of 2005 and the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Wilson moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. Supported by Crawford. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 5 June 5, 2006 Crawford moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the resolution be amended, as follows: 1. At the end of the 2nd WHEREAS paragraph, add ; and 2. The 4th WHEREAS paragraph should be amended, as follows: WHEREAS in order for a state-issued driver’s license to meet federal requirements for federal purposes, such as a passport, at a minimum the state -issued driver’s licenses must include the individual’s name, birth date, sex, ID number, a digital photograph, address, and this data must be in a common machin e-readable technology that Homeland Security will decide on. The card must also sport physical security features designed to prevent tampering, counterfeiting, or duplication of the document for fraudulent purposes; and 3. The 9th WHEREAS paragraph, should b e amended, as follows: WHEREAS when issuing a driver’s license, a state would determine if the applicant is a citizen, their place of birth and any other federally required information for border passage. This information would appear as a bar d code or magnetic strip that border patrol officers could scan; an d Supported by Molnar. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. Main motion, as amended, carried on a roll call vote with Hatchett, Gregory, Coulter and Melton voting no. 7. CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS The Board of Commissioners received a memo dated May 23, 2006, from L. Brooks Patterson advising the Board that he has appointed Mr. Douglas J. Smith to the position of Director of Economic Development and Community Affairs. He is requesting confirmation of this appointment by the Board of Commissioners, per Public Act 139 of 1973. Mr. Toffolo introduced Mr. Smith to the General Government Committee. Kowall moved approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Coulter. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 8. FRIEND OF THE COURT CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE – REVIEW APPLICATIONS FOR APPOINTMENTS Fred Lebowitz resigned from the Friend of the Court Citizen Ad visory Committee (FOC-CAC), leaving a vacant seat for General Public, and the Mental Health Professional position is expiring on June 30, 2006. Dr. Patricia Armstrong has applied for reappointment as the Mental Health Professional, and she is the current Chairperson of the committee. Mr. Taylor submitted a written GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 6 June 5, 2006 communication reflecting his support for Dr. Armstrong to be reappointed to the Friend of the Court Citizen Advisory Committee. Crawford moved to interview all eight (8) applicants (four (4) for General Public and four (4) for the Mental Health Professional) at the July 10, 2006 General Government Committee meeting. Supported by Melton. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 9. MR #06102 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – CATALPA PARK PROPERTY FEASIBILITY STUDY BY OAKLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION STAFF The City of Southfield has leased a 22-acre parcel for 28 years, investing in excess of $500,000 to develop and maintain six soccer fields and two baseball fields. This site, k nown as Catalpa Park, services 45,000 Oakland County residents annually, with 70 percent of those residing primarily in the surrounding communities. The resolution reflects that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners supports preserving the Catalpa Park property for recreational use and requests that the Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission staff investigate the feasibility of managing the 22-acre parcel as a County park and provide a report of its findings to the General Government Committee no later than its first committee meeting in October of 2006. Crawford moved to report to the full Board with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. Supported by Gregory. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. COMMUNICATIONS A. Oakland County Library Board Minutes of March 22, 2006 B. Business Review – Wi-max Could Cut Wireless Oakland Costs – News Article Crawford moved to receive and file the Communications. Supported by Gregory. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT Chairperson Patterson mentioned that there would be a special General Government Committee meeting on Monday, July 12th, at 2:00 p.m. to reconsider Item #6, Department of Health and Human Services/Children’s Village, 2006-2008 Waterford School District Agreement. The Finance Committee will be invited to attend also. There being no other business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 3:33 p.m. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 7 June 5, 2006 ________________________ _______________________________ Pamela L. Worthington Lawrence Doyle Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.