Law Enforcement & Judiciary Committee

Date: January 3, 2003

The regular meeting of the Sauk County Law Enforcement Committee was held on Friday, January 3, 2003, at 8:00 A.M., in the EOC Room, basement of the Historic Courthouse , 510 Broadway, Baraboo, Wisconsin.

The meeting was properly posted and all interested parties were notified.

Members Present: Montgomery, Giebel, Carlson, Wenzel

Members Absent: Williams

Others Present: R. Stammen; B. Hinze; J. Prantner; M. Hafemann; M. Bolz;   R. Meister; Judy Johnson, Sauk Co. Humane Society; J Spencer; Manning, Media, Public

1. Call To Order and Certification of Open Meeting Law: The meeting was called to order and compliance with the Open Meeting Law was certified by Chair Charles Montgomery at 8:00 A.M.
2. Agenda: Motion by Giebel, seconded by Carlson, to adopt the agenda. Carried.
3. Approve Minutes of Previous Meeting(s): Motion by Carlson, seconded by Giebel, to approve the minutes of the Law Enforcement Committee meeting held on December 6, 2002. Motion carried.
4. Communications: Sheriff Stammen read a letter from David Pace of Ski Hill Road, in the Town of Reedsburg. The letter was written to Ed Brooks, Chairman of the Town of Reedsburg, concerning the number of accidents taking place on Ski Hill Road. Mr. Pace had sent a copy of the letter to the Sheriff's Department. The committee agreed that the letter should be sent to the Sauk County Highway Committee for their review to see what steps could be taken to address the problems outlined by Pace.

   A letter from Lt. Schauf of the Baraboo Police Department was read thanking Deputies Rupert, Boese and Holl for assistance with a theft complaint at Wal-Mart.

   A citizen letter thanking Lt. Deakin and detectives Karl Larson and Luetta Forbes-Miller was also read. The officers were praised for their professionalism and diligent handling of a burglary complaint in the Town of Delton.

   Chairman Montgomery read an e-mail he had received from Administrative Coordinator Wiegand regarding having a special committee set up to deal with the issues and budget of the Sauk County Animal Shelter. After some discussion, it was decided that all the members of the committee would serve on the special committee, along with Kathy Schauf and that the first meeting would be held as the last item on the agenda of the regular Law Enforcement Committee to be held in February.

5. Appearances: The December Officer of the Month award will not be presented until February.

   Marcus Gumz, who requested to appear before the committee, was not present.Review and Approval of December, 2002, Bills for Coroner and Sheriff's Department: Motion by Giebel, seconded by Carlson, to approve payment of the Coroner's December, 2002, bills in the amount of $1,328.62. Motion carried.

6. The committee was informed that the year-to-date account expenditures for the Sheriff's Department, which are at 95.2% of total 2002 budget, included 2003 bills in the amount of almost $5,000. These bills will be deducted from the 2002 bills in the next month and charged against the 2003 budget.

   Motion by Wenzel, seconded by Carlson, to approve payment o the Sheriff's Department bills in the amount of $255,160.58 for December, 2002, and $4,982 for January, 2003. Motion carried.

   Wenzel said in his opinion the Sheriff's Department was one of the most conscientious departments in the county for careful money handling and budgeting.

7. Write Off of Uncollected Civil Process Accounts: Sheriff Stammen reported the following persons owed money for paper service and that the Civil Process clerk had been unable to collect from them. She was requesting that the accounts be written off.

   Margaret Warner of Madison, $20 balance

   Timothy Ward of Muscoda, $40 balance

   Larry Whiteeagle of Waupun Correctional, in the amount of $20

   Kelly McClearn of Baraboo, in the amount of $20

   Robert Mitchell of Madison, in the amount of $19.70

   Motion by Giebel, seconded by Carlson, to write off the unpaid accounts of Warner, Ward, Whiteeagle, McClearn and Mitchell. Motion carried.

8. Bids for 2003 Squad Car Purchases: Bids for 2003 marked squad cars were received from Glacier Valley Ford-Mercury, Koenecke Ford-Mercury, Don Larson, Inc., Kayser Ford of Madison, and Kayser Chrysler of Sauk City. Also received was a fax from Chicago Motors offering $17,000 for the outright purchase of the seven used vehicles being traded.

   The bids were as follows:

   Glacier Valley
   Outright price for nine Ford Crown Victoria vehicles $191,200.00

   Trade allowance for seven vehicles $ 19,200.00

   Per Vehicle cost after trade $ 19,111.11

   Koenecke Ford-Mercury
   Outright price for nine Ford Crown Victoria vehicles $191,813.13

   Trade allowance for seven vehicles $ 22,000.00

   Per Vehicle cost after trade $ 18,868.13

   Don Larson, Inc.
   Outright price for nine Chevrolet Impala vehicles $163,701.00

   Trade allowance for seven vehicles $ 15,700.00

   Per vehicle cost after trade $ 16,444.56

   Baraboo Motors No bid

   Kayser Ford
   Outright price for nine Ford Crown Victoria vehicles $184,455.00

   Trade allowance for seven vehicles $ 17,000.00

   Per vehicle cost after trade $ 18,606.11

   Kayser Chrysler Center
   Outright price for nine Dodge Intrepid vehicles $172,791.00

   Trade allowance for seven vehicles $ 17,000.00

   Per vehicle cost after trade $ 17,310.11

   Chicago Motors, Inc.
   Outright purchase of seven used Ford Crown Victoria vehicles $ 17,000.00

   Captain Bolz will review the bids received to make sure all specifications are met on the bids received. The committee agreed that if the specifications were met the low bid should be accepted.

   Motion by Carlson, seconded by Giebel, that Captain Bolz review all the bids received and if the specifications are met and if all equipment questions can be answered satisfactorily, that a resolution to purchase nine Chevrolet Impala marked squads from Don Larson be prepared for final approval by the Law Enforcement Committee at a special meeting to be held prior to the regular January County Board of Supervisors meeting on January 21; and that the resolution be taken to the County Board at the January 21, 2003, meeting. Motion carried.

9. Update on Selection of Firm to do Communication System Evaluation:
   Leonard J. Koehnen and Associates have been hired to do the evaluation of the County's communication system, to include the Highway Department, the Sheriff's Department, MIS Department and the fire and EMS agencies in Sauk County. The committee to review the findings and recommendations of Koehnen and Associates will include personnel from all the oversight committees for the above listed departments, as well as the fire and EMS services. Art Carlson will represent the Law Enforcement Committee on the review committee.
10. Consideration of Contract with Juneau County For Housing Inmates:
    Juneau County has opened their new jail and has sent a proposed contract for consideration for the housing of inmates from Sauk County. Juneau County would charge $48 per day. However, Sheriff Stammen reported that Adams County has also expressed willingness to compromise on the daily rate for housing inmates but has proposed selling Sauk County 10 beds per day at a cost of $45 per diem. The contract with Adams County would require Sauk County to pay the daily rate of $450 even if the 10 beds weren't fully occupied. Both Sheriff Stammen and Captain Hafemann agreed there will be a need to house inmates out of county most likely through August, 2003, and expressed concern that if beds in nearby facilities are rented out to other counties we could end up transporting prisoners significant distances to find available beds. Overall, out of county housing needs will probably fully utilize the 10 beds at Adams County.

    Captain Hafemann and Sheriff Stammen will make a recommendation to the committee on this issue at the February Law Enforcement Committee meeting.

11. Sheriff's Report:
    Sheriff Stammen reported there were 43 hours of supervisory overtime paid in December; 34 hours for holiday pay and 9 hours for ERT training.

    In December there were 401 inmate boarding days on electronic monitoring. The program generated income of $6,580.01 at a cost of $4,736.09, leaving a positive balance of $1,843.92.

    Deputy Breunig squad was involved in a car/deer collision but only minor damage occurred.

    The exam for applicants for Security Sergeant have been completed and turned in to the Personnel Department. Oral boards are scheduled for January 9th, 2002. Oral Board examinations for jailor applicants will be done on January 23 and 24. The Sheriff stated he hoped to have backgrounds completed for the initial jailor hiring completed and offers made for a March 15, 2003, start date.

    For the opening in Dispatch, the backgrounds are underway; one is complete and two more are pending. The committee will certify the list of the top three candidates prior to the County Board meeting on January 21, 2003.

    Applicants for the patrol vacancies has taken the written test and the results are being awaited.

    There was a discussion on possibly moving up the hiring of jailors and training to facilitate the earlier opening of the new facility. Some options on this will be brought before the committee at the February, 2003, meeting.

    December prisoner transport statistics aren't complete but November transports numbered 168, brining the total for the year to 1.643 as of November 30, 2002.

    December out-of-county housing figures are 155 days of housing in the Adams County Jail for a cost of $8,525 and 280 days in Juneau County for a cost of $13,440. The total cost for out-of-county housing for December is $21,965, bringing the 2002 total cost to $105,013.

    Ford Motors is doing a recall to replace gas tanks on Crown Victoria squad cars due to the possibility of explosions during rear collisions. The recalls on the Sauk County squads are taking place.

    Sheriff Stammen said that a plan is being explored to set up a statewide data base listing prisoner transports so that counties could cut down on individual transports and do some car pooling for some transports. Thirty-five Wisconsin counties are involved in exploring this program.

    The Court Security Sergeant is working on an operations manual for court security. The hiring of the two court security officers is slated for April, 2002, and the Sheriff's Department offices can't move to the new facility until the court security personnel are in place.

12. Adjourn To Date Specified:
    The next regular meeting will be held on Friday, February 7, 2003, at 8 AM, and a special meeting on January 21, 2003, prior to the County Board of Supervisors meeting.

    Motion by Giebel, seconded by Carlson, to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried.