DATE: September 9, 2009
Committee Members Present: Ashford, Gaalswyk, Netzinger, Lehman, and Cassity.
Others Present: Mark Steward, Mary White, Brent Bailey, and Steve Pate.
Vice-Chair Lehman called the meeting to order after the joint meeting with the Land Conservation Committee meeting.
Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Netzinger to adopt the agenda. Discussion followed relative to having the second meeting of the month just with Planning and Zoning and the 1st meeting with the Mapping Department, Register of Deeds and County Surveyor. The first motion was lost. Motion by Ashford, seconded by Netzinger to adopt the agenda with the deletion of item 7.d. Motion carried, 5-0.
Motion by Cassity, seconded by Ashford to adopt the minutes of the August 25, 2009 Committee meeting. Motion carried, 5-0.
Public Comment: None.
Communications: Steward brought a letter from the GSA regarding Dave Tremble's departure from the Planning and Zoning Department. He also reported that the County did well with their audit. He stated that 4 out of the 8 state waste water specialists of the Department of Commerce employees were being let go. The remaining 4 would be retiring next year. $100.00 out of every sanitary permit goes to the state. Steward asked if the Committee wanted to go on record as objecting to this situation. The Committee requested Steward to draft a letter and a County Board resolution to the Department of Commerce objecting to this cut back of staff.
Brent Bailey, Register of Deeds, appeared with his monthly report. The number of documents recorded during the month of August was below last year. Time share licenses were briefly discussed. Only two or threes other counties in the state have time shares.
Register of Deeds vouchers were reviewed. Motion by Gaalswyk, seconded by Ashford to approve the vouchers in the amount of $4,037.08. Motion carried, 5-0. Professional associations and conferences were briefly discussed.
Steve Pate, Mapping Department, then appeared. He presented his monthly report. Senate bill 270 regarding the search ability of public records was discussed. The bill does not allow information searches by name, you need a parcel number or address. The bill stated that sorting by name is a violation of privacy. The County's system searches by name. This would make more work for the County because people would not be able to do searches themselves by name online.
The vouchers for the mapping department were reviewed. Motion by Ashford, seconded by Netzinger to approve the vouchers in the amount of $1,423.57. Motion carried, 5-0.
Pate reported that the digital orthophotography will start next year. Bids were reviewed. Ayres did the last photography and was selected to do the 2010 project. Timely delivery was a problem last time. Pate stated that any problems had been fixed free of charge. Delivery time was a problem because of the way the contract was written. This is a simpler project. Gaalswyk asked if this had to be done at this time. Pate explained that things have changed in 5 years and these photos will be in color. 5 years is the standard. Gaalswyk stated that this money could be used for something else. Pate stated that the money has to be used for land records projects. This amount is actually cheaper than the 2005 charge. Motion by Ashford, seconded by Cassity to approve Ayres to do the orthophotography project in the amount of $64,285.20. Motion carried, 4-0, with Gaalswyk in opposition.
Mark Steward, Planning and Zoning Director, appeared and gave his monthly departmental report. Dave Tremble was done as of August 28th. Klingenmeyer was the last remaining development rights acquisition. The County Board has already approved this purchase. The steel tank project is wrapping up. Other areas in the county would be checked for steel tanks. Malave violation was briefly discussed. Board of Adjustment petitions were discussed. 1/3 to ½ of all petitions going to the Board are already completed. Violations were reviewed.
The Committee then reviewed numbers and revenues for department accounts.
Budget reports for the department and Board of Adjustment were briefly reviewed. The Baraboo Range report was distributed without discussion.
Steward distributed the County Comprehensive Plan. Highlights were reviewed. The plan should have been the example for the state's plan. Towns could have picked up ideas from it. Differences were briefly reviewed. The plan will be sent out in county board packets.
The Committee then discussed assisting Towns with implementation of their comprehensive plans. Towns are adopting ordinances and may request assistance from the County. Ashford stated the department couldn't do it with the recent cuts. Netzinger stated the Towns would be better off hiring consultants. The Committee did not want to get involved in writing ordinances for the Towns.
Motion by Ashford, seconded by Cassity to adjourn at 12:10.
Respectfully submitted,
Judy Ashford, Secretary
Notes by mary white.