DATE: March 4, 2004
The regular meeting of the Sauk County Law Enforcement Committee was held on Thursday, March 4, 2004, at 8:00 A.M., in the Community Room, D102A, 1300 Lange Court, Baraboo, Wisconsin.
The meeting was properly posted and all interested parties were notified.
Members Present: Montgomery, Giebel, Carlson, Wenzel, Williams
Members Absent:
Others Present: R. Stammen, B. Hinze, M. Hafemann, K. Fults, J. Spencer, P. Holcomb, T. McCutchin, D. Grant,
J. Prantner, R. Meister. W. Isaacson, B. Manning,
L. McCartney, Public
The committee was informed that an inmate by the name of Dennis Barnes had filed a law suit against the Sheriff, other jail staff and nursing staff in regard to the health care he's receiving in the jail. Security Captain Hafemann reported that the allegations have been carefully investigated and copies of the extensive medical care Barnes was given has been turned over to the attorney for the county. He also said that all medical decisions for inmate treatment are now being made by the physician employed by Health Care Professionals. Hafemann reported that the number of inmates on meds has been reduced significantly. Health Care Professionals is indemnified for any future lawsuits of this nature.
Sauk County has been given a Highway Safety grant of $6,000 for seat belt enforcement. The grant covers a three-week period. Lt. Jeff Spencer reported that they will be working grant hours at the end of May and early June on seat belt enforcement during the grant period. The grant is primarily going to be used to boost public awareness of seat belt usage.
The Sauk-Prairie Harley Davidson ride to raise money to donate toward Muscular Dystrophy has been scheduled for July 7, 2004, beginning at noon in Sauk-Prairie and heading into Dane County. The ride will primarily be held in Dane County except for the beginning and ending.
Sheriff Stammen reported that he had received a copy of a handwritten Notice of Claim on February 27, 2004, from Sauk County Clerk Beverly Mielke, The Notice is from Marcus Gumz. Gumz stated it was his intention to file claim against a number of Sauk County departments and other agencies. The notice was read by Sheriff Stammen and the document from Gumz wasn't clear either as to his cause for grievance and what he was requesting for redress. The matter is being looked into by Corporation Counsel.
Sheriff Stammen said he had received notice that Alan B. Shanks, former Sauk County Sheriff, is retiring from the Wisconsin Department of Emergency Management on April 30, 2004.
On March 2, 2004, Sheriff Stammen received a law suit from inmate Dennis Christensen. Christensen's sentence was incarceration in the Sauk County Huber Center for one year with no reduction in the sentence for good time. The loss of good time was part of the judge's order. Christensen is prohibited by law from filing a suit against the sentencing judge and his suit against the Sheriff is for failure to grant him good time.
Montgomery stated that when the resolution authorizing Sauk County to donate $10,000 toward the expenses for the Circus Parade in July came to a vote at the February County Board of Supervisors, he voted against it because of his concern for the county's budget. Montgomery and Stammen both stated that law enforcement costs just for overtime alone for staff needed to try to handle the parade related duties, combined with other activities and the anticipated number of complaints in the county for law enforcement would exceed $50,000.
The Sauk County Tavern League has also chosen James Hodges to receive their annual award for outstanding law enforcement officer.
Food Services Director William Isaascon attending the meeting to introduce his replacement, Lisa McCartney. Isaascon will be retiring as Food Services Director for the Sauk County Jail and Huber Center effective March 17, 2004, and Lisa McCartney will replace him. He was invited to return to the April, 2004, meeting.
Motion by Giebel, seconded by Williams, to approve payment of the Coroner's February, 2004, bills in the amount of $1,734.53.
Motion carried.
A revised final 2003 printout reflected approximately $235,000 in unspent monies in the 2003 Sheriff's budget.
Motion by Carlson, seconded by Williams, to authorize payment of the Sheriff's February, 2004, bills in the amount of $127,754.56.
Motion carried.
The upgrade will provide reporting capabilities of the records in the Visions system that will comply with the records that both the state and federal agencies want to store. The Byrne grant is set up to provide funds to upgrade existing systems that can provide the data. Ten agencies will be selected to get the grants this year with preference given to agencies that have either Visions or Spillman since these two systems have the capability of providing the information.
The committee was informed that the grant application had already been made since the deadline for application was before the committee met. But if the committee didn't approve the grant application it would be withdrawn.
Motion by Giebel, seconded by Wenzel, to approve the application for the Byrne Grant for the update to the Visions reporting system.
Motion carried.
At total of 41 hours of supervisory overtime was paid in January, all related to the Emergency Response Team.
In January, 2004, there were 387 offender days served on electronic monitoring. The cost of the equipment was $2,115.40 and the amount collected was $6,198, for a credit of $4,082.60.
In January, 2004, there were 107 transports and 87 in February, for a total of 194 year-to-date.
Inmate meals for January were 13,869 and 13,564 for February.
Prisoners from other jurisdictions were boarded in February. There were 291 inmate days for Dane County prisoners, 65 inmate days for Grant County prisoners and 74 inmate days for Iowa County prisoner boarding. The total collected for housing these inmates from other counties was $22,720.
On Monday, March 8, Huber inmates will begin the move into F Pod in the new facility.
Sheriff Stammen reported only one traffic fatality year-to-date for 2004.
Captain Hafemann reported that the GED program for inmates to provide high school diploma equivalency would begin on March 27th and a program in conjunction with the Lions Club will begin on March 18th, 2004. The Lions program will consist of inmates washing donated glasses and sorting the eye glasses according to prescription using equipment provided by the Lions Club. Inmates can earn reduction in their sentences for hours worked in this program.
Hafemann also reported that he's working with the Pauquette Center to attempt to establish an on-site AODA program within the confines of the secure areas of the jail. The meeting areas must meet the state requirements for confidentiality and there will be no cost to Sauk County for providing these programs if the site meets standards because the health insurance of the inmate will cover the cost of the treatment.
The AA programs for inmates is in the process of being expanded but the volunteers who come from outside the facility must pass a background investigation.
The committee discussed the jail inspection tour by the oversight committee and it was scheduled for the May meeting.
Sheriff Stammen reported that he and Captain Hafemann had attended a meeting of the Dane County Building Committee.
The upcoming Circus Parade was discussed. The parade was a matter of discussion at the Sauk County Executive and Legislative meeting the previous Tuesday. The City of Baraboo estimates it will need 115 officers to provide traffic control just within the City of Baraboo. They'll be receiving assistance from 20 Wisconsin National Guard members.
The Field Service employees of the Sheriff's Department traditionally are scheduled to 12-hour shifts to cover the calls for service within Sauk County. This year all days off and vacations will be canceled and field officers will be going to 12-hour shifts. The transport team will be used to transport arrested persons to the jail and the Sheriff's Department's command post will be pressed into service. The estimated cost of the overtime hours for Sheriff's Department employees is expected to exceed $52,000, and related costs would bring the cost to $60,000 to $65,000 for the Sheriff's Department. The Executive and Legislative Committee said that overages in the Sheriff's budget would be addressed later in the year and they voted not to ask for any money from the Circus World Museum to fund the costs related to the parade.
Lt. Fults said the Detective Division is very busy and they're noticing the presence of new motorcycle gangs in the area. Trouble between the new gangs and the Border Riders Motor- cycle Club have already been reported as turf wars play out between local clubs and incoming gang members. The committee was informed that trouble between rival gangs could produce a high cost Memorial Day weekend due to possible conflicts at the annual pig roast hosted by the Border Riders Motorcycle Club
Captain Meister is researching the surplus property programs at Fort McCoy to see what equipment is available that might be helpful to the Sheriff's Department.
The issue of several upcoming retirements was discussed. The committee was told that the Personnel Department said no eligibility lists could be created until there's an actual vacancy to be filled. That delays filling open positions from six to nine to months and there's no chance for any training by retiring employees because they're gone long before a replacement is selected. The Sheriff's Department has always maintained eligibility lists in the past and this sudden change in policy has a huge impact on overtime costs and on-the-job training. The Sheriff was instructed by the committee to request to be on the Personnel Committee's agenda to see why this policy changed and what might be done to minimize the impact of the lack of a current eligibility list.
A department employee was placed on administrative leave on Wednesday, March 3, 2004, pending the results of a criminal investigation.
Motion by Wenzel, seconded by Carlson, to adjourn the meeting.
Motion carried.
Respectfully Submitted: Dorothy Williams, Secretary (minutes taken by B. Manning)