MINUTES
KANSAS
ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES
BOARD MEETING
October 11, 2002
KAC Conference Room
Topeka, KS
President Russ Frey called the meeting to order at 9:32 a.m. Board
members present were as follows:
Board Members present:
Lonie Addis, Labette County Commissioner
Clark Allemang, Butler County Appraiser
Mike Billinger, Ellis County Treasurer
Joe Brunk, Sedgwick County Weed Director
Jerry Davis, Finney County Commissioner
Wade Dixon, Greeley County Counselor
Eileen Filbert, Jefferson County Health Department
Administrator
Linda Fincham, Marshall County Register of Deeds
Russ Frey, Riley County Commissioner
Dean Kruse, Norton County Commissioner
Bill Linde, Woodson County Commissioner
Kathy Peckman, Miami County Clerk
Paula Phillips, Douglas County Emergency Management Director
Randy Rogers, Coffey County Sheriff
Board Members not present:
Rodney Broberg, Saline County Appraiser
Frances Garcia, Reno County Commissioner
Bobby Heitschmidt, Ellsworth County Commissioner
Ron Sitts, Edwards County Public Works Director
Others present:
Randy Allen, KAC Executive Director
Judy Moler, KAC Legislative Services Director/Legal Counsel
Pam Hatfield, KAC Executive Assistant
CHANGES TO THE
AGENDA
Two additional items were requested. First, Randy requested
time for Mike Kelly,
State of Kansas Department of Administration, Benefits Administration Division
to present the State of Kansas Health
Care Program (as will be available to
counties) to the KAC Board for its information. Second, Kathy Peckman asked for
time to address and further discuss the letter proposal from InfiniTec for the
KAC to market software educational services to counties.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES
Jerry Davis moved, seconded by Linda Fincham, to approve the August 16,
2002 meeting minutes. Motion carried.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT
Treasurer Mike Billinger reported that the Finance Committee
had reviewed the bills and payrolls dated October 11, 2002, and indicated that there were no outstanding bills worthy of special mention. Kathy
Peckman moved, seconded by Paula Phillips to approve the report of bills and
payrolls dated October 11, 2002. Motion carried. Mike Billinger said that
the Finance Committee had no comments as far as the financials were concerned.
He noted that we should remain cautious towards cash balances. Mike
Billinger moved, seconded by Dean Kruse, to approve and place on file the
Monthly Financial Reports of July and August, 2002. Motion carried.
The meeting recessed at 10:20 for a break and resumed at 10:30 a.m.
Lonie Addis moved, seconded by Jerry Davis, to recess
into Executive Session pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319 (b) (1) for the purpose of discussing
the salary/benefits of the Executive Director, for a time
of not more than 20 minutes. Motion carried. (10:35 a.m.)
10:55 a.m.: the Executive Session ended.
Wade Dixon moved, seconded by Clark Allemang that
retroactive to July 1, 2002, the Executive Director's
compensation shall increase by 1% of his current salary with the balance of his
compensation package to remain unchanged from its current level. Motion
carried.
KANSAS COUNTY GOVERNMENT INSTITUTE
The Kansas County Government Institute 3rd
Quarter report was mailed out with packets. Randy noted the growing need for
customized training – and the increased requests to the KAC for more customized
services. Randy indicated that Marla Flentje, Dennis Kriesel, and Michelle
Works had been appointed as an in-house committee to organize and bring online
the KAC's new website. The kickoff time for the new website is November 15 at 5:00 p.m. The distance learning class for the Register of Deeds Association went well.
The Customer Service class that Beth Tatarko lead was given rave reviews.
Randy noted that at the Annual Conference, class completion recognition would
be given during the awards banquet. Names will be both announced during the banquet,
and also printed in the program book that evening. There has been a decline
in attendance at the Customer Service Excellence classes, and the Leadership Academy
classes. A question was asked concerning the correlation, if any, of the growth
in customized training and our decline in regular workshops. Randy said that
the customized training was so specialized, and rarely overlaps the topics of
our regular classes. The ESS (Effective Supervisory Skills) workshop
registration remains strong, and the Road Scholar program (KAC/County Highway
Association partnership) is looking good, too.
27th ANNUAL CONFERENCE STATUS REPORT
Michelle Works, Conference Planner, distributed statistics
regarding total-to-date enrollees for the Annual Conference, and listed them by
county as well as by constituent group. There are a total of 521 people
registered as of October 11, 2002. The pre-conference registrations stand at 56
for the Legal/Ethical Issues workshop, and 50 for the “World is Run by Those
Who Show Up”. There are 93 spouses registered for their program. Michelle
encouraged all board members to go back to their counties and promote the
conference to gain more enrollments. She gave a list of vendors who have
registered for the Exhibition, and asked for help from board members to solicit
more vendors.
NACo REPORT
Lonie Addis distributed a letter from the NACo President encouraging
all Board of Directors to attend the four meetings a year, stating that it was
‘expected’ of the board members to attend. These meetings include the Fall
Board of Directors Meeting; Dec 11-14 in Dallas, the Legislative Conference;
Feb 28 – Mar 4 in Washington, DC, the Western Interstate Region Conference; May
28-30 in Reno, NV, and the Annual Conference; July 11-15, in
Milwaukee County/City, WI. Lonie also addressed the issue of term limits for
the NACo representative on our board. He would like the board to reconsider
the term limit, and address it upon elections for next year.
At 11:43 a.m., the board recessed for lunch. The meeting resumed
at 12:26 p.m.
PRESENTATION OF DRAFT
BUDGET
Randy distributed a draft copy of a 2003 KAC budget. He stressed that
it is ONLY A DRAFT. The final acceptance of the budget would be done either at
the November meeting, held during the Annual Conference, or it could be
deferred until the December meeting. Randy handed out a copy of the Draft
2003 Budget Assumptions / Issues sheet, which discusses issues concerning
cash balance, the revenues vs. expenditures, membership attrition, economy
concerns, cost cutting, annual conference issues, and future revenues.
Sponsorship is critical, as are vendors, etc. with regards to the Annual
Conference. Many companies are dropping the marketing of programs, as a means
to cut costs. Randy said that this directly impacts our annual conference
revenue. (negatively). Wade Dixon said that we should not have a defeatist
attitude coming into this year's budget work, and doesn’t want to see us enter
into this budget with a negative kind of attitude. Russ Frey said we need to
be pro-active and look for creative ways of increasing revenue.
Don Hanson, KAC past president, stopped by and handed out information
obtained at the Silver Haired Legislature meetings that he attended earlier in
the day.
Kathy Peckman asked about expenditures that the KAC pays for the board
members. She asked that board members be more conscientious about the lunch
count for meetings, to help cut costs. Randy Rogers said that he wants to see
the KAC protect the employee package that is currently in place, and to protect
it.
No action was taken concerning the 2003 KAC budget. Final action will
be taken at either the November 17 or December 12, 2002 board meetings.
BRIEFING ON STATE HEALTH
INSURANCE PLAN
Mike Kelly, Benefits Administrator for the State of Kansas Department
of Administration, distributed the new State of Kansas Employee Health Care Program for Non-State Employees handbook to all board members. He then took
time to review its contents and answer questions the board had. Information
will be given to all counties who requested information. There will be two
identical workshops at the upcoming KAC Annual Conference, November 17-19, 2002.
2003 LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM PROCESS
Judy Moler announced that our intern, Joe Molina, has resigned his
position with the KAC. He has been appointed to a position as attorney for the
State of Kansas Attorney General's office in conjunction with the new "No
Call” program. The Legislative Platform uplinks that were held statewide on
September 27 were very poorly attended. Attendees were mostly those who
participated in the forming of the platform. This may be the last year that we
undertake the video uplink as the cost is about $1,000. It seems that it has
served its purpose. The CCAK will have its continuing legal education meeting
on the Tuesday of our conference. Brochures for their CLE have been mailed
out.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S
REPORT
Randy attended a Senior Leaders Homeland Security Summit
meeting in St. Louis on September 24-25, 2002 (invitation only) and asked for
the board to approve his travel.
Kathy Peckman moved, seconded by Lonie Addis to approve
Randy's travel to St Louis for the Homeland Security Summit
(costs largely paid for by Region VII, Federal Emergency Management
Administration).
Motion carried.
Randy informed the board that he has had discussions with
the Kansas Emergency Management Association and Kansas Division of Emergency
Management about the KAC providing services to KEMA and KDEM under contract.
Services would require a staff person at the KAC to provide services on a host
of emergency management topics, including but not limited to, assessing emergency
management needs and service gaps statewide; organizing and better promoting
mutual aid agreements among and between counties; and planning a stronger, more
effective educational program to inform county elected officials of their
emergency management responsibilities in their communities. There is nothing
more specific to report, but ut is anticipated that KEMA and KDEM will furnish
a scope of services for the KAC to review from which a project plan and
contract could be developed. Any new position would, of course, require KAC
Board approval.
The KAC is co-sponsoring the Rural Policy Symposium on
Thursday, November 21 at the K-State Union in Manhattan. Postcards for this
event were included in your packets. Randy will be moderating one session at
the symposium.
Randy indicated that the KAC Topeka office has been experiencing
severe difficulties with our mail service as of late. A complaint has been
filed with our area post office. Randy is hopeful that more and more
electronic means can be used in the future to alleviate the inconvenience of mail
problems.
Randy asked permission of the board for the KAC President,
NACo representative, KAC Executive Director, and KAC Legislative Services
Director to attend the NACo Legislative Conference, February 27 – March 3, 2003
in Washington, D.C.
Kathy Peckman moved, seconded by Paula Phillips to authorize
travel for the four above-named persons to attend the NACo Legislative
Conference in Washington next year.
Randy said that there have been no bids on the KAC van that
has been for sale since the August board meeting. The board suggests just
selling as we can. The lien should be coming in from Ford any day now, as the
loan payment was made in full.
Dennis Kriesel, Public Health Policy Fellow, gave a presentation
on the new KAC website. Since it is still in the development stage, the site
we got to see was considered a demo site, and didn’t have all of the links that
the finalized version will have. Look for the final product on line on
November 15, just in time for the conference.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:05 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
_______________________
Pam Hatfield, Executive Assistant
Approved:
_________________________________
Lonie Addis, Secretary
November 17, 2002