BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Holiday Inn, Madison Room

Billings, Montana

MINUTES

 

MEMBERS PRESENT                                                       

Officers                                        

XX Carol Brooker, President

                                   

XX Bill Kennedy, 1st Vice President                             XX Ed Schilling, District #9

 

XX Doug Kaercher, 2nd Vice President                         XX Rita Windom, District #10

 

XX Dan Watson, Past Fiscal Officer                             XX Alan Thompson, District #11

 

XX Jean Curtiss, Urban Representative                         XX Dave Schulz, District #12

 

___ Gary Fjelstad, Past President                                

 

District Chairs                                                      Association Representatives           

 

XX Richard Dunbar, District #1                        XX Leo Gallagher, Attorneys

 

XX Mark Rehbein, District #2                          XX Paulette DeHart, Clerk and Recorders

 

XX Joan Stahl, District #3                                XX Marilyn Hollister, Clerks of Court

 

XX Art Kleinjan, District #4                             XX Joseph Christiaens, Coroners                    

 

XX Arnie Gettel, District #5                              XX Johnny Seiffert, Magistrates

 

___Carl Seilstad, District #6                             XX T. Gregory Hintz, Sheriff & Peace Officers

 

      XX Chad Fenner, District #7                            XX Carol Bean, Treasurers

 

XX Elaine Mann, District #8                             ___Karla Christensen, School Superintendents

 

 

OTHERS PRESENT: MACo Executive Director Gordon Morris, Assistant Director Harold Blattie, Information Technology Committee Chair Mary Sexton, Tim Melton, Vice President of Sales, MyLocalGov.Com, and Tom Sweet, Corporate Relations, NACo                                                                      

 

1.  Approval of Minutes: September 21, 2003 and September 24, 2003—The minutes were moved for approval as presented. Board member Thompson noted that the September minutes reflected that Allan Underdal had seconded the Trusler motion to authorize the President to sign the Personnel Policies and Procedures and also was quoted as saying that “all counties are equal” when in fact both should have been attributed to Thompson. Noting this correction, the minutes were approved.

            Board member Stahl moved the approval of the notes from the December 2, 2003 Joint Meeting of the Board of Directors and the Taxation, Finance and Budget Committee. The motion was seconded and adopted.

 

2. FY 2004 Budget Amendments and Budget Report: Past Fiscal Officer Dan Watson, sitting in for Fiscal Officer Nyby, who had to return home due to a death in the family, presented the budget amendments for the reductions requested in the December retreat. Watson moved the amendments be approved as presented. Urban Representative Curtis seconded this motion. Board member Rehbein commented that staff travel needs to be maintained. It was pointed out that the reduction in travel was solely related to the NACo Legislative Conference. Board member Stahl asked if the amendments were intended to be adopted in “conjunction with the dues increase.” It was noted that while this was correct, the amendment was being recommended nevertheless. Board member Dunbar asked for a clarification of the proposed reductions in regard to the Handbooks. The reduction was not intended to eliminate the Handbooks, but rather the calendar, the Budget Books and Policies. In the future, the Handbooks may be available in an Adobe file format. With no further discussion, the amendments were adopted.

Watson briefed the Board on the status of the MACo budget for the period ending November 30, 2003. Both revenues and expenditures were in line with considerations for the period being reported. The report was accepted as presented.

 

3. Dues Proposal: The short-term proposal for a dues increase will be presented to the members.  The re-stated Board actions from the December retreat were distributed for review. This same statement will be distributed to the members Thursday morning with action scheduled on Friday.

The Taxation, Finance and Budget Committee has met and begun work on a long-term dues proposal to be presented to the membership in September. Assistant Director Blattie distributed a package of scenarios that the Committee will be considering. The Committee hopes to have a recommendation for review by the members at the spring district meetings. Blattie noted that a long-term proposal must be fair and equitable and meet the needs of the Association well into the future.                             

4. Information Technology Report on E-Government Services: IT Chair Mary Sexton introduced Tim Melton of “mylocalgov.com.” She reported that the Committee, after reviewing the RFP’s, had opted to invite “mylocalgov.com” to meet with the Committee and also with a delegation of Treasurers and Clerk and Recorders. Melton briefly spoke to the Board about their approach to e-government and how he hoped to work with Montana counties to bring this dream to reality. Sexton noted that the meeting with Clerks/Recorders and Treasurers gave very favorable indications of the interest.  She felt it was a major step on the part of the Association.

 

5.  MACo Policy Committee Process: Carol Brooker, MACo President, reminded the Board that she had asked in September for a clarification of the policy process as related to committees within the Association. A prepared statement was distributed to the Board. President Brooker noted that it was not her intent to seek approval at this meeting, but at the Board meeting in June. She asked the members to review it and direct their comments to either her or Executive Director Morris. 

                                               

6. MACo/Nationwide Retirement System/NACo Partnership Presentation: Robert Hoffman, NRS Regional Director, provided the Board with a brief overview of the partnership between Nationwide Retirement, NACo and MACo. He noted that currently 47 counties in Montana participate in the Nationwide program and with the assistance of the Montana Association of Counties, it is being actively marketed. This joint marketing effort earned the Association approximately $11,000 a year as reflected in the current budget.

 

7.  MACo/U.S. Communities Contract: Executive Director Morris advised the Board that he had entered into a sponsorship agreement with the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance. He noted that this was a voluntary program affording counties with another alternative for their purchasing needs. He introduced Tom Sweet, Corporate Relations Director with NACo. Sweet briefed the Board on the various benefits offered counties such as favorable pricing achieved by aggregating the purchasing power of counties throughout the country.  Morris announced that a letter and the information on the program would be sent to counties for future purchases.                                     

 

8.  Other Business:

 

· Associate member Greg Hintz, Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, announced that they would be meeting to discuss prisoner transportation and the Transcorp Proposal from the Director of the Department of Corrections. He stated that the Sheriffs were not interested in going forward with a contract and were going to consider withdrawing altogether from prisoner transportation. This would leave it entirely in the hands of the State Department of Corrections.  Several members of the Justice and Public Safety Committee were planning to attend the meeting.

 

· Assistant Director Blattie briefed the Board on an employee identification proposal which has been approved for funding under the homeland security grant program. The intent was to enable counties and emergency responders to ID employees and emergency responders during an emergency. Working with Photoscan Northwest, he hoped that the program would be up and available within the month.

 

· Executive Director Morris reported that the curriculum for Commissioner Certification had been completed by the Local Government Center at Montana State University. While the Education Committee needs to meet at least one more time, the curriculum appeared to be consistent with the Committee’s direction. The first certification program, open to newly elected commissioners as well as current commissioners, will be offered December 6th through the 8th. The layout of the curriculum established this first session as a 16-hour program.

 

· Executive Director Morris announced that an orientation session for the voter review process has been scheduled for December 13 through the 15th at MSU. The agenda would be developed over the course of the next several months working with the League of Cities and Towns and the Local Government Center.

 

· Morris noted that he would be working with the Chairs in the near future to begin scheduling Spring District Meetings in either late April or early May.

 

· Urban Representative Curtis noted that there were regional fire finance workshops being scheduled in the near future and advised Commissioners to watch for the dates and try to attend one in their area.

 

· Board member Rehbein questioned the Association’s policy for affiliate members. He noted that Tractor & Equipment was paying for three affiliate memberships. It was pointed out that affiliate membership provides corporate sponsors with the choice of an individual being qualified for affiliate membership benefits. Any organization could have more that one affiliate membership. T & E had established affiliate memberships for their three locations in the state so that three people could receive benefits. This was voluntary and an option for the respective businesses seeking affiliate status.

 

· Assistant Director Blattie reported that a Cooperating Agency Workshop has been scheduled for Missoula on April 20th. This workshop will be limited to 50 participants with a $30 registration charge.

 

                  With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 pm.