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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - 2013.08.05 - 36737CHRISTINE LONG Chairperson KATHY CRAWFORD Vice Chairperson MARCIA GERSHENSON Minority Vice Chairperson August 5, 2013 Chairperson Long called the meeting of the General Government Committee to order at 9:31 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Committee Room A, County Service Center in Pontiac, Michigan. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT : Christine Long, Kathy Crawford, Marcia Gershenson, Bob Gosselin, Jeff Matis, Bob Hoffman, Michael Spisz, Mattie Hatchett, Nancy Quarles COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT : None. OTHERS PRESENT : EXECUTIVE OFFICE L. Brooks Patterson, Executive BRAIN INJURY ASS’N. OF MICHIGAN Tom Constrand, Vice -President COALITION FOR PROTECTING AUTO John Cornack, President NO-FAULT IN MICHIGAN (CPAN) Erica Coulston, Board Member EISENHOWER CENTER Jon Cornack, CEO TAMARACK Steve Engel, Executive Director OLHSA Ron Borngesser, CEO OTHERS Fred Nader, Citizen BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Sheryl MItchell , Sr. Analyst Helen Hanger, Sr. Committee Coordinator PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chairperson Long led the Pledge of Allegiance. APPROVAL OF THE PREVIOUS MINUTES Spisz moved approval of the minutes of July 22, 2013 as printed. Supported by Matis. Motion carried on a voice vote. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Spisz moved approval of the agenda as printed . Supported by Quarles. Motion carried on a voice vote. OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS 1200 N. TELEGRAPH ROAD, BLDG 12E, PONTIAC, MI 48341-0475 Telephone (248) 858 -0100 FAX (248) 858-1572 GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Bob Gosselin Jeff Matis Bob Hoffman Michael Spisz Mattie Hatchett Nancy Quarles GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 2 August 5, 2013 PUBLIC COMMENT County Executive Patterson spoke in support of transparency in how the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) formulates its rates. He has talked to Commissioner Matis about this issue and if Commissioner Matis asks to postpone consideration of the resolution for several more weeks it would allow them to work together to iron out their differences and draft amendments. Mr. Poisson stated that the County Executive supports transparency in dealing with taxpayer dollars. Commissioner Matis is concerned about proprietary secret information. There already are exclusions to disclosure in place under FOIA, HIPAA, and various federal statutes and passing more would be fine. By law, all insurance competitors sit in a room and share information to come up with a charge so you are not protecting anything that is a secret because they are disclosing to each other. Commissioner Matis is willing to sit down and craft language that would protect the Administration’s concerns about business and at the same time address his concerns about protecting individuals. Ms. Coulston, Mr. Nader, Mr. Constrand and Mr. Cornack recognized the level of care provided in the State of Michigan resulting from no -fault coverage but also spoke in support of transparency in how the MCAA formulates its rates. Mr. Engel spoke in support of MR #13198. REGULAR AGENDA 1. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES/HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION – 2011 MICHIGAN CITIZEN CORPS PROGRAM GRANT INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ACCEPTANCE Homeland Security is requesting authorization to accept $16,501.00 in U.S. Department of Homeland Security funding, released under the 20 11 State of Michigan Citizen Corps Grant Program and awarded to Region 2. Region 2 includes but is not limited to Macomb, Oakland, Monroe, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne Counties and the City of Detroit. Macomb County was voted by the Region 2 Homeland S ecurity Planning Board to act as subgrantee and fiduciary for this grant. Funds are used for training, planning, educational outreach, exercise and equipment for the Citizen Corps Program Partners of Community Emergency Response Teams, Medical Reserve Corps, Neighborhood Watch, Volunteer in Police Service and Fire Corps. Spisz moved to recommend approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Matis. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 2. MR #13145 – BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SUPPORT FOR FULL FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE OF THE MICHIGAN CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS ASSOCIATION FUNDS The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Hoffman in support of Senate Bills 102 and 103 to provide full disclosure and transparency of Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) decisions. Hoffman moved to report to recommend approval of the suggested resolution. Supported by Hatchett. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 3 August 5, 2013 Commissioner Hoffman stated that he strongly supports no-fault insurance but you are either supportive of open transparency or you are not. The MCCA uses an actuarial lifetime age of 105 in their rates and they need to open their books because they are constantly raising insurance rates for people and are squeezing out the poor, who drive without insurance . Commissioner Matis stated that he is in support of transparency but still had concerns because individuals injured in catastrophic accidents could face disclosure of personal and confidential information so he would like some language added for additional protections. The MCCA has never been subject to FOIA or the OMA. Someone could submit a FOIA request for informat ion in order to cause trouble. Sometimes issues are more complicated than thought and the resolution could be amended to balance protections with transparency in order to address his concerns. For instance, there is no mention in the resolution of HIPPA, FOIA or the OMA. He has continued to gather information up through this morning and the County Executive has indicated he would support amendments. The Senate Bills are languishing in committee and there is no imminent deadline. Matis moved to postpone consideration of the resolution until the next regular General Government Committee meeting on August 19 in order to craft amendments to address his concerns. Supported by Spisz. Motion to postpone carried on a roll call vote with Gershenson, Hoffman and Quarles voting no. 3. MR #13198 - BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – SUPPORT FOR DNR ACQUISITION OF TAMARACK CAMP PROPERTY The resolution was sponsored by Commissioner Hoffman in support of the submission of an application to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund by the Department of Natural Resources for the purpose of acquiring Camp Tamarack Property in Groveland Township. The property was originally purchased by the camp to create a buffer zone . The DNR has indicated that it will not develop the land. The camp is tax exempt but works with Groveland Township to provide funds for services. Groveland Township is in support of the applica tion. Hoffman moved to report to recommend approval of the attached suggested resolution. Supported by Gershenson. Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. 4. UPDATE ON BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OUTSTANDING 2013 APPOINTMENTS The committee was provided with a memo listing those appointments to be made for the remainder of calendar year 2013. - The Well Protection and Education Policy Advisory Committee has been inactive since 2003. Efforts by Board staff to obtain members by contacting the Well Dri llers’ Association, etc. have not provided results. Mr. Miller was asked to research the charge of this group under the Sanitary Code. - The Solid Waste Planning Committee (SWPC) membership expires October 31. Members were contacted to find out if they a re interested in being re-appointed and the majority responded in the affirmative. Several seat designations remain vacant. - Both the Republican and the Democratic Caucus chairs were provided with information on making appointments to the Canvassing Boar d that they are to forward to their county party chairs so names can be submitted in writing to the County Clerk and forwarded to the commissioners for these appointments to be made in October at the annual meeting. GENERAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE Page 4 August 5, 2013 Commissioner Hatchett indicated that there had been a proposed Economic Development Project to site a bio-mass incinerator at the old Fiero plant in Pontiac and asked Mr. Poiss on if he had any information. She asked who is involved because citizens in her district as well as Rochester had concerns. Mr. Poisson indicated that this would be an amendment to the County’s Solid Waste Plan and the SWPC would need to authorize its location. The City’s Emergency Manager’s office has expressed a preference not to use the Fiero plant. Commissioner Spisz asked for the rules for the SWPC. COMMUNICATIONS A. Michigan Department of Human Services Board – Oakland County Minutes – 6/25/13 B. Area Agency on Aging 1-B Minutes – 6-28-13 Matis moved to receive and file the communications. Supported by Quarles. Motion carried on a voice vote. OTHER BUSINESS/ADJOURNMENT There being no other business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 10:49 a.m. ______________________________ ________________________________ Helen A. Hange r Jim Ver Ploeg Sr. Committee Coordinator Administrative Director NOTE: The foregoing minutes are subject to Committee approval.