September 14, 2005 Minutes
- Commissioners
- Presentation of a Drug & Alcohol Recovery Month Proclamation. Representatives: Jim Eash, Therapist for Riegler, Shienvold & Associates; Andy Sullivan from Mazzitti & Sullivan; and Tom Miller from White Deer Run.
- Stephen Libhart, Esq.
- Project Safe Neighborhood Grant
- Rich Bowra, Director of the Dauphin County Library System
- Briefing on the Dauphin County Library System activities.
- Carl Dickson, Director of Fort Hunter
- Convey Fort Hunter property to PennDOT.
- Purchase of Service Agreement for FY05/06 between Children & Youth Agency and It Takes a Village, Inc. (***A VOTE IS REQUESTED 9/14/05)
- Exoneration of 2004 county taxes, penalties, interest, and bureau charges to the Gospel Fellowship Church, in the amt. of $1,305.14.
- 2005/2006 Grant from the PA Dept. of Aging for the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging.
DAUPHIN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
COMMISSIONERS' WORKSHOP MEETING
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2005 10:00 A.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Jeff Haste, Chairman
Dominic D. DiFrancesco, II, Vice Chairman
George P. Hartwick, III, Secretary
STAFF PRESENT
Chad Saylor, Chief Clerk; Bill Tully, Esq., Solicitor; Marie Rebuck, Controller; Bob Dick, Treasurer; Carolyn Thompson, Esq., Court Administrator; Bob Hawley, Deputy Court Administrator; Jeff Patton, Juvenile Probation; Dawn Eldridge, A.A.A.; Carl Dickson, Fort Hunter Director; Faye Fisher, Personnel Director; Kay Sinner, Personnel; Elke Moyer, Human Services; Diane McNaughton, Press Secretary; Jena Wolgemuth, Commissioners' Office; Richie Martz, Commissioners' Office; Lena Martinez, Commissioners' Office; Randy Baratucci, Purchasing Director; Gary Serhan, Deputy Controller; Barry Wyrick, MH/MR Administrator; Steve Libhart, Esq., District Attorney's Office; Tom Guenther, Information Technology Director; Terry Davis, Adult Probation Director; Guy Beneventano, Esq., Assistant Solicitor; Garry Esworthy, Risk Manager; Edgar Cohen, Facility Maintenance Director; and Julia E. Nace, Assistant Chief Clerk
GUESTS PRESENT
Jack Sherzer, Patriot News; Andy Sullivan, Mazzitti & Sullivan; Jim Eash, Riegler Shienvold & Associates; Smittie Brown, Executive Director of the DC Commission on Drugs & Alcohol, Inc.; Cathy Alloway, Dauphin County Library; Rich Bowra, Dauphin County Library; Karen Cullings, Dauphin County Library
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
Mr. Haste, Chairman of the Board, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
Everyone observed a moment of silence
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mr. Haste: We have four sets of minutes that we'll take up at next week's meeting. The August 24, 2005 Legislative Meeting Minutes, August 24, 2005 Salary Board Meeting Minutes, August 31, 2005 Workshop Meeting Minutes, and the August 31, 2005 TEFRA Hearing Meeting Minutes.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr. Haste: Is there anyone in the audience that would like to address the Board at this time? (There was none.)
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS/GUESTS
Mr. Hartwick: The Commissioners are aware of and are very supportive of Drug and Alcohol Recovery Month. I guess more than 63% of all Americans are affected by drug and alcohol addiction whether it be personal addiction of their own or friend or family members caught in the trap. All of us have some affiliation or understanding that drug and alcohol addiction affects almost every family.
Here in Dauphin County we want to make sure that we are very aware in supporting individuals with recovery. We understand the devastating affect it has on a lot of families. I know we have taken several steps to heighten the awareness even within our own workforce through employee assistance programs. Those struggling with those addictions don't show up for work on time and often times have problems performing at work. Those problems cross over into the home with additional problems. Addressing them at work and allowing folks to participate through recovery programs here at work certainly allow us to have a much more effective workforce and healthier workforce. We are also very concerned about seamless delivery of human services with individuals who also are in recovery in making sure that we have a cost system approach because there is a great deal of other problems that exist often times that are associated with drugs and alcohol. There may be mental health issues. There may be issues with children and youth. We need to make sure that in Dauphin County when we are dealing with recovery and dealing with those other issues that we are all communicating a cost for a system in Dauphin County with a seamless delivery of those systems. We're actually today going to be declaring this month as "Drug and Alcohol Recovery Month". We have prepared a proclamation. Following the reading of the proclamation, we have several representatives that are here and I ask them to come over and receive the proclamation and have a picture taken with the Commissioners.
Mr. Hartwick read the following proclamation:
Office of County Commissioner
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Proclamation
We, the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners, take great pride and pleasure in proclaiming September 2005 as "Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month" in Dauphin County;
Whereas, drug and alcohol addiction is a condition affecting almost 63 percent of Americans, whether it is a personal addiction or the addiction of a friend or family member;
Whereas, assessing the need for addiction treatment is a crucial first step in helping people realize that recovery is possible and treatment is effective, and remains a priority of the Dauphin County Executive Commission on Drugs and Alcohol;
Whereas, at times, the barriers to accessing treatment programs that can help heal lives and families are a significant problem for those with substance use disorders; therefore, we must work together as a community to identify treatment programs which are affordable and individualized;
Whereas, celebrating individuals in recovery and saluting the health care providers who have helped them obtain treatment educates our community about the benefits of treatment and affirms that such providers deserve adequate compensation for their services;
Therefore, we join with counties throughout the Commonwealth and across the nation in proclaiming September 2005 as "Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month" in Dauphin County, and we urge all citizens throughout the county to support those in recovery so that they may enjoy productive, peaceful, healthy and happy lives.
Mr. Hartwick: We have several representatives with us today. They are Andy Sullivan from Mazzitti & Sullivan; Jim Eash from Reigler Shienvold & Associates; Tom Miller from White Deer Run; we also have executive board members from the Dauphin County Executive Committee on Drugs & Alcohol; and Smittie Brown who actually runs the committee, the Executive Director. The Board members are Jeff Patton, Garry Esworthy and Dawn Eldridge. We would like all of those individuals to come up and give those professionals a round of applause. (A picture was taken of the group with the Commissioners)
Mr. Brown: I want to thank the Board of Commissioners for supporting September as Recovery Month. I think you know throughout the County and the Commonwealth hundreds of people start recovery and stay recovered. I think that is the real key that we try as a system to get people in and get them to stay in the program. As you said, it is indeed a partnership of these providers. They don't work alone. There are other community support systems that they need to rely on. It is getting better. There are more people getting into treatment and there are more people staying in treatment. If you look at the trends from about ten years ago, the treatment stays were very short and people went in and out. We find that people are starting to stay longer and recovery is longer and they become healthier. That makes for good citizens. I do want to thank the Board and obviously all of these service providers. They all do an outstanding job. They really do the work.
Mr. Libhart: The District Attorney's Office and the United States Attorney's Office have worked collaboratively on the Project Safe Neighborhoods which is focused on a certain area in the City of Harrisburg. As part of the project, the U. S. Attorney's Office has allocated $40,000 of their own funds to be passed through to the District Attorney's Office for the use of a public outreach campaign. It is comprised largely of a media program of both print and broadcast. Also some representatives of the D.A.'s Office will be holding conferences, public information seminars giving presentations to schools and other civic groups in support of the project basically to detail the successes of the prosecution and also show the amounts that the program has contributed to reducing gun crime throughout Harrisburg.
We are asking for your approval. It has been termed a grant but the money has already been allocated by the U. S. Attorney's Office for use by the D.A.'s Office.
Mr. Haste: There is no match money?
Mr. Libhart: That is correct, no match money. It is straight allocation.
Mr. Haste: And this is for public relations campaigns?
Mr. Libhart: It is indeed.
Mr. Hartwick: Have you selected a firm to do the work yet?
Mr. Libhart: We are going to issue a RFP for the process.
Mr. Haste: Do you want approval from us to move forward?
Mr. Libhart: Yes.
Mr. Haste: Is there a motion to approve the application to PCCD?
It was moved by Mr. DiFrancesco and seconded by Mr. Hartwick to approve an application to PCCD for a Project Safe Neighborhood Grant to be administered by the District Attorney's Office; motion carries.
Mr. Bowra: I have with me today, Public Services Director, Cathy Alloway and Community Relations Director, Karen Cullings.
I want to give you a very quick library update since we receive the majority of our support from Dauphin County through the Commissioners and the residents of Dauphin County. We think it is important to keep you briefed on what is going on. This is in addition to the weekly reports that I do with the oversight Commissioner DiFrancesco.
Right now we are in the middle of a strategic planning process. We have completed a spot analysis of our branches and departments looking at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. We just completed that with our Board of Trustees this past month. The Senior Management Team and the Board will be holding a retreat in October to develop and complete our strategic plan for the coming years. So we are doing that formal process and it is coming along well.
We are working on a number of facilities improvement projects that I know a lot of people aren't aware of. In the next two weeks, you will see some scaffolding going up around our historic building downtown as we start the restoration of that building. That has not really been touched for the 90+ years that it has been in existence. We are doing a roof replacement, re-pointing and a lot of other improvements. Folks have seen some activity in the uptown area where we are starting construction on the Madeline Olewine Building which is replacing our leased facility at Uptown Harrisburg.
On the funding side, certainly the County funding remains very critical to us and we appreciate that. On the State side, we realized about a 6% increase this year. We're still well below before the State's cut backs about three years ago. We're hoping for those increases to improve although it is a slow climb. Talking about funding to the previous Board of Commissioners, where we looked for increased funding, we talked about some return in investment for the tax dollar. Florida has done a very formal study of the economic impact of public libraries which will soon be replicated in Pennsylvania. I'm asking Karen to give a briefing on our current status on economic impact.
Ms. Cullings: The typical Dauphin County household that uses the library borrows maybe eleven circulating items. That might be books, software, and music CD's. They would use the computer for internet or word processing. I'm using an hour for our figures. That is probably very conservative for most families use. It is much more than that. They might print out five black and white copies from the computers. Maybe even some color copies. They would use the online reference sources and the print reference sources in the library whether they are doing community research or if they are doing homework activities, that type of thing. They pay for the services, $52.43 a year which is the average. If they were to purchase those items, the cost of them would be nearly $21,000. I think that is a good return on the investment. I have figures here for you to take a look at. The Florida study that Rich talks about is a little broader on its base. We're hoping Pennsylvania will do a study like it. It looks at not just direct return on investment but also the impact of the library system on the economic development of the community and having an educated workforce is a benefit to the community and the library plays into that. I hope you will see more broad figures on that later. This gives you a snapshot at the county level.
The other thing that I wanted to talk to you about was the launch of the one-book, one community program which we recently launched. It is probably the biggest partnership that we do. We are partnering with the libraries and the community partners in six counties and that is 61 libraries encouraging adults to all read the same book and talk about it at the same time. Within two hours of their display going up in the Martin Library in York, they had no more copies available to be borrowed. I know that our downtown library has all of theirs in circulation. The program is going gang busters. I did not want to let you out of the excitement so I brought you your own copy of the book. It is not a copy that you have to return to the library. It is a copy that you should read if you wish to and then place it out in the community because it is one of the exciting aspects of the program. This year we got sufficient sponsorship to be able to put some of these out in the community at places where people can pick them up making them easily accessible if they can't get to the public libraries. They are going to clinics, Tri-County LIC and places like that as well as other areas in the community. People who find it can log onto the website and tell us they found it, complete a survey of what they thought and then they can put it out somewhere else in the community to read the book. It is an interesting aspect to the one-book program. You can play your part by passing it along.
Mr. Hartwick: How do you go through the selection of the book?
Ms. Cullings: The book is actually selected by a panel of community members that we try to make representatives of the community, not just library folks. It's media, it's book sellers, it's literacy folks, there is a representative from the Tri-County LIC, it's community volunteers, there is an author on there. They read and review a lot of books and through a series of meetings come to their selection.
Mr. Haste: I've participated and I've enjoyed it. I think it was last year's. Was last year's the one by Horton?
Ms. Cullings: Last year's was Rocket Boys.
Mr. Haste: Okay, it was the one before that.
Ms. Cullings: Bill Bryson's, A Walk in the Woods. That was hilarious.
Mr. Haste: I thought I would like that one. It took me forever to finish.
Ms. Cullings: It did draw a little bit at the end.
Mr. Haste: He trashed Pennsylvania in there a little also.
Ms. Cullings: It did. It did not make Pennsylvania hikers happy, that is true. You have input in the selection process because you have representation on that committee, Jena.
Mr. Haste: One thing I found out, Nancy Besch, knows I do it. She loves to quiz me about it every time I see her. It does make some fun.
Mr. DiFrancesco: Rocket Boys was good and it just so happens that one of our employees, Scott Burford, at Spring Creek lived in that general area. As a matter of fact, it was the capital of that county. That is where he was from. He was from the school that they referred to as the high end of all the well-to-do folks. I enjoyed talking to him about it once I read the book. It is a great program. I love this idea about passing it on. That really is a wonderful opportunity. I'll make sure that my copy goes out to Spring Creek and it can get circulated throughout the population out there as well.
Ms. Cullings: That's largely a possibility this year because of the funding from the greater Harrisburg Foundation of Barnes and Knoble.
Mr. Haste: Was this made into a movie?
Ms. Cullings: This story I think has been fictionalized a number of times. It is very well known. Not this particular book, but the story of Mary Jennison.
Ms. Alloway: My name is Cathy Alloway, the public services director. I'm pleased to tell you Dauphin County residents are really flocking to the library this year. So far, we've checked out more than a half-million items. Visits are up three percent. Our program attendance to activities like story time and presentation like at Whittaker Center have doubled. We've had attendance of over 8,000 people due in part to the popular summer reading program. Library current registrations are up about 20%. Part of that is due to the fact that we have over 100 public access pc's scattered throughout our eight buildings and are almost in constant use. It is a good reminder to all of us that many residents of Dauphin County still do not have access to computers at home and are desperate to use the resources that we have in our building. We've also launched something that is called the Community Collection. It builds a little bit on the pass-it-along program that was just shared with you. What we are doing is putting gently used books out into our branches but also to the community. They are being offered for those people who lack identification for the full borrowing privileges or who need extended loans for some reason. This is including placement of these books at shelters and meals-on-wheels program. So we are starting to get an excess of books out there in the community for everybody to enjoy.
The other thing that I wanted to highlight is that the public services team is placing the highest possible priority on partnerships with your other county departments. It is proof of that for example this year we have participated with Dauphin County Mental Health in the Harrisburg School District in offering Project Hope in the city branches. That is a program where families of young children can work with their offspring to help develop methods to control children's emotions. It is a wonderful program.
We fully embrace working with the recycling program. We have bins at all the branches. We've done programs with character mascots. We've also been sending books to Woodside and Dauphin County Prison on a regular basis of the excess from the donations that we get. We're really pleased to do that. We are very pleased with the cooperation that we got from the other departments. It looks like it is going to be a great year.
Mr. Bowra: We want again to express our thanks. One thing that we are working on and I got a message from Jena yesterday and working with Mr. Saylor in terms of the Board of the Library System of the County's appointees. You will be getting a full report on that in the next couple of weeks so the Commissioners can work on that process. What we wanted to do was just take this brief opportunity to give you a snapshot of the things that we are up to. If you have any questions, we would be happy to answer those.
Mr. Hartwick: I particularly like how you are working cooperatively with the other departments of county government. Hopefully, you set an example of what can happen across the systems and being able to partner together with various programs in public outreach which certainly is a model that you should be commended for.
Mr. Haste: You still do the cell phone drop off, don't you?
Mr. Bowra: Yes.
Mr. Haste: Good, because I've been telling people to go there.
Mr. Bowra: That is part of the recycling.
Mr. Haste: People ask what to do with them and I tell them to take them to the library.
Mr. Cullings: They are usually full. I understand that some of the branches are getting as many as 8-10 a week, which is pretty good and it keeps building.
Mr. Dickson: I'm here to tell you that PennDOT has approached Fort Hunter because they would like to do some reconstruction work on a bridge that crosses Fishing Creek at Fort Hunter that takes Front Street over it. They wish to purchase a required Right-of-Way which is 1/100 of an acre and also a temporary construction easement. That is something that you need to sign-off on.
Mr. Haste: It has been through the Solicitor's Office. Do you have it with you?
Mr. Dickson: The Solicitors have it.
Mr. Haste: We can do it next week. Are there any questions of Carl? (There were none.)
Mr. Dickson: Fort Hunter Day is on Sunday. Please come.
SALARY BOARD
(The Salary Board Minutes are on file in the Commissioners' Office.)
PERSONNEL
Ms. Sinner: The other Salary Board items that I'm presenting in the personnel packet are a reclassification or elimination of a Certified Nurse Aide at Spring Creek and creating a MDS Department Administrative Assistant II position. We have someone on extended workers compensation. We're going to put that person in a modified duty worker position. In D. J. Semic's office and D. J. Zozos' office we're reclassifying some legal clerk positions.
Mr. DiFrancesco: A question in reference to the judicial changes, in Zozos' office the legal clerk II in creating that position, then the legal clerk III is eliminated. Is that saying that there was more than one legal clerk III in that office?
Mr. Hawley: Correct.
Ms. Sinner: Are there any further questions? In the personnel packet, there is a list of vacancies including positions at Spring Creek; caseworker in Children & Youth; part-time telecommunicator in EMA; a caseworker in MH/MR; part-time maintenance worker for Parks & Recreation; treatment specialist at the Prison; and legal clerk positions at night court. We have the new hires list, and several items that I request a vote on today in the changes listing because of the effective date of the transfers. Included in those changes are the two Schaffner employees that I mentioned. The items that I'm requesting a vote on are items #14, #15, #16, #19, #20 & #21.
Also in the packet is the overtime report and requests for overtime from the Prison.
Mr. Haste: Please explain item #21 to me.
Ms. Sinner: My understanding is that a recyclable materials collector is going to be on vacation and an in-house recyclable collector will be filling in with doing his duties. The recyclable materials collector pays more than the in-house position. So they would be getting additional duty pay.
Mr. Haste: That's what I understood it to be. He's filling in so he's getting the difference in pay. There is no termination date. We have a start date but no ending date. We know when the guy is coming back. Can't we make sure that is part of the record?
Ms. Sinner: Yes, I can. It is this week. I presumed it was five days.
Mr. Haste: Please make sure. We want to make sure we have the ending date in the record as well.
Ms. Sinner: So that would be 9/16/05. I will confirm that.
It was moved by Mr. Hartwick and seconded by Mr. DiFrancesco to approve Items #14, #15, #16, #19, #20 & #21 in the personnel packets, motion carried.
Ms. Fisher: Commissioners, you all have before you copies of the Disaster Relief Policy. The only difference between the draft that was presented at last week's meeting and the one today is additional language has been added to include the President Judge stating that he will be responsible for approving for the court employees. And there is additional language regarding the employees who may already be trained and certified to handle disaster relief such as your EMA employees. That is the only difference. I consulted with each of you and I think everything is okay. It is there for your consideration, if possible for today or next week.
Mr. Haste: I'm okay to go with it today. The only thing that I would ask is if someone could call Mark Templeton at the Prison. Last night I think some people started getting some wind of this and throwing some weird scenarios and what ifs by the Board and Mark. To me I thought the answers were common sense but I just want to make sure. For instance, what do we do if someone gets down there and gets hurt, is it workers comp...they had all kinds of scenarios.
Mr. Hartwick: Why don't we hold off until we get some answers?
Mr. Haste: No, I'm okay to go because as it says, it's at the director's discretion so if in doubt the Warden doesn't approve it. There is no reason to hold up the rest of the County for one department.
Mr. Hartwick: But the workers comp issue is for the whole county.
Mr. DiFrancesco: But the last say, is in our hands. If we approve the policy and we could deny it if we decide..
Mr. Haste: They still need to go through the employee policy. I wouldn't want to slow this down. There are some bugs that we need to get worked out.
Is there a motion to approve the Disaster Relief Policy?
It was moved by Mr. DiFrancesco and seconded by Mr. Hartwick to approve a Disaster Relief Policy as presented; motion carries.
PURCHASE ORDERS
Mr. Baratucci: Commissioners, you all should have received your purchase order packet yesterday. As usual there are some budget adjustments that need to be done. They will be taken care of between now and next week. If you have any questions, I can answer them. I will tell you that in the packet on pages 7 & 8, are items for the Sheriff's Office some of which we have discussed before. The tasers and related supplies are now all being paid out of the forfeiture fund as per your request. We do need to do a budget adjustment on page 8 but assuming that gets done those items will be up for next week's approval and paid for out of those funds. Do you have any questions?
Mr. Hartwick: The Homeless Management Information System on page 17, I know that was a coordinated grant that we were working out between various agencies including our MH/MR folks..we don't have a cost center set up for that right now?
Mr. Baratucci: What it is, all the money is in one code within that cost center which was the code that we used to purchase the software. This is the yearly maintenance support for the software. The money will get moved from the code that has all the money into it to cover the yearly support fee. The money is there, it is just in the wrong object code within that Homeless Management Cost Center. It will be corrected for next week.
Mr. Hartwick: 16 & 23, where are all those expendable equipment and tools going?
Mr. Baratucci: What page was that?
Mr. Hartwick: Page 16.
Mr. Baratucci: That is Adult Probation out of their Supervision Fees. They are replacing a lot of printers out there.
Mr. Haste: The recorder, we discussed at Retirement Board. It is for the Retirement Board.
Mr. Baratucci: Which one?
Mr. Haste: Page 23.
Mr. Baratucci: Yes, that will be paid out of the Retirement Fund.
The second item that I want to discuss is an item that I gave to you. It is a proposal from Knight Security System to repair the camera system at the Probation Offices. We would like to ask you to vote on that today. It is badly in need of being done. If you vote on it today, we can get it started and actually get a purchase order done next week. Terry has given the paperwork to me and I did run it by the Solicitor's Office and they are fine with it. If you have any questions, Terry is here and could probably answer them or I can try. If you don't have any questions, I think it would be a good idea to vote on this one today.
Mr. Haste: I also think it would be a good idea to vote on this today.
Mr. Hartwick: Is this budgeted or unbudgeted?
Mr. Haste: It is coming out of the Supervision Fees. Is there a motion to approve?
It was moved by Mr. Hartwick and seconded by Mr. DiFrancesco to approve a purchase of cameras for the Work Release Center with Knight Security to repair, replace and install cameras in the amount of $36,874; motion carries.
Mr. DiFrancesco: On page 7, the notebook setup. Where is that and what is it for?
Mr. Baratucci: Those are all the items from the drug forfeiture fund for the Sheriff's Office. All that did run through I.T. There is a notebook, computer, projector and other equipment all from the forfeiture money.
TRAINING PACKET
Mr. Haste: We don't have anything in the training packet that needs approved today or discussed.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
Mr. Haste: We have a service agreement that we need to act on today. I think most of us have been brought up to speed on that.
Mr. Hartwick: All the financial issues have been worked out with the contractor.
Mr. Haste: Is there a motion to approve Item A under Items for Discussion?
It was moved by Mr. Hartwick and seconded by Mr. DiFrancesco to approve a Purchase of Service Agreement for FY05/06 between Children & Youth Agency and It Takes a Village, Inc.; motion carries.
MILEAGE REIMABURSEMENT RATE INCREASE
Mr. Haste: One other item that I failed to get on the agenda and I thank Marie for bringing it to my attention, we do have under some of our union contracts a mileage rate that is set by the IRS and that has just recently been increased. Marie forwarded that to me. The IRS has increased the reimbursement rate from $.405 per mile to $.485 per mile. The rate goes into effect September 1, 2005 and is set through December 31, 2005. We need to take action to ratify these rates so that everybody knows that.
Mr. Hartwick: We have no option?
Mr. Haste: We do and we have union contracts that follow this. The option really is for those that are not covered by a union contract.
Mr. Hartwick: We talked about trying to develop a pool of cars to minimize the cost. I don't know how effective we were on that. With the rising gas prices and with the rising reimbursement rates, that is becoming a choice that we probably are going to have to face in this next budget cycle. Whether or not it is better for us to buy additional fleet cars or pay these high reimbursement rates with the price of gas. I guess with no choice here, we have to approve this but certainly for us for the next budget cycle may be a big capital purchase of cars to avoid those high reimbursement rates. Closer tabs from our department directors to try to recommend any car that is in the fleet and Edgar are those folks still trying to do that or is it we just don't have the cars available?
Mr. Cohen: We try to whenever available.
Mr. Haste: I try to whenever I approve a training request I usually try to make sure they use a fleet vehicle if available.
Mr. DiFrancesco: Edgar, when people are using fleet cars for local travel, are they using our pumps to fill-up those cars or are they using commercial pumps that are obviously costing us a lot more.
Mr. Cohen: 50/50.
Mr. DiFrancesco: That 50/50 needs to change. If they are in the local area there is no reason to not fill up at the county pumps. Obviously, right now our gas is a lot cheaper because we contracted and purchased in bulk compared to what market rates are right now?
Mr. Cohen: 25% of the 50/50 use commercial especially if they are in the upper part of the county.
Mr. DiFrancesco: I understand that totally. I just want to make sure that somebody just doesn't buy Sheetz at the Harrisburg Mall on their way back to the Courthouse when the pump is right at Spring Creek. The other request that I will make of Chad is if you could work with whomever you have to work with, I would like to see how much we are spending each year on our fleet versus who is asking for reimbursement for mileage in their personal vehicle. I would like to see those numbers laid out in some sort of report that we need to understand. I realize that it's not just a matter of putting bulk numbers or whole numbers down but also identifying what departments are using fleet vehicles, which departments are using personal mileage, how many people are being reimbursed and why are they being reimbursed. I think that would be really good for this Board to see.
Mr. Saylor: I will sit down with Edgar and Mike and get that.
Mr. Hartwick: With the Voyager gas card, if our employees are using that card because it has been recommended by Mike to a few folks that have a significant amount of field staff who are complaining about the higher gas rates. Is there a tax advantage, if we go to a commercial pump if we use the Voyager gas card?
Mr. Cohen: Yes, there is a tax advantage. We don't pay the price that the normal consumer would pay.
Mr. Hartwick: When it comes up at the pump it doesn't seem like it is any different but the charge back on the card is different?
Mr. Cohen: That is correct.
Mr. Hartwick: I just wanted to make sure that was represented appropriately.
Mr. DiFrancesco: So Voyager will take care of working out the reimbursement of the tax that we are paying at the pump because when the total comes up you're paying whatever the market value is on that credit card.
Mr. Haste: Is that accurate, Marie?
Mr. Cohen: Yes, Voyager takes off the tax. Each month we get a statement and the taxes are removed from the Voyager bill.
Mr. Haste: So we are credited that?
Mr. Cohen: Yes.
Mr. DiFrancesco: The consumer standing at the pump is seeing the exact price that everyone else would get.
Mr. Cohen: Correct.
Mr. Haste: So we get a credit on those bills?
Mr. Cohen: The actual bill from Voyager is not the same amount that we actually pumped at the gas pump. It goes into a system and automatically calculates what the county pays for and then we get a final bill.
Mr. Hartwick: There are still additional benefits if we go out to our county pumps?
Mr. Cohen: Most definitely. Each month there is a spread sheet that is sent to Chad and myself. It shows the difference of the cost savings. If it becomes upside down, cheaper to go to the consumer pumps then we send a message out to ask folks to please use the consumer pumps rather than the county pumps.
Mr. Hartwick: Good information, thanks.
Mr. Haste: Is there a motion to approve the reimbursement rate of $.485 per mile in conjunction with the IRS standard?
It was moved by Mr. DiFrancesco and seconded by Mr. Hartwick that the Board approve the mileage reimbursement rate of $.485 per mile in conjunction with the IRS standard; motion carries.
SOLICITOR'S REPORT
Mr. Tully: Nothing to add to the report and happy to answer any questions you may have.
Mr. Haste: Are there any questions for Bill?
Mr. Hartwick: If I could have Melanie pull the MH/MR provider, contract for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, DPW the Work Advancing Center and the Keystone Services System, Inc. I would like to see a copy of those contracts.
REPORT FROM CHIEF CLERK/CHIEF OF STAFF - CHAD SAYLOR
Mr. Saylor: Commissioners I have two items to report that I would like to present to you at this time. One is dealing with the real estate tax settlement that we have reached with Metropolitan Edison regarding Unit II at Three Mile Island. Mr. Yohe and Mr. Howe have patched a plan. Under the terms of the settlement we are set up to make a payment of about $52,600 a year starting October of this year through 2009 which amounts to about $263,000 over those five years. The idea is what if we agree to a lump sum payment at a discounted amount, they suggested $219,606 upfront payment which would be about $43,000-44,000 less. Mr. Yohe estimates that instead we invest the money and made those payments over the years we would make about $21,000 in interest give or take. So if you calculate that in, if we were to make a lump sum payment, our best estimate we would be saving about $22,000. We have already sent a letter to Metropolitan Edison to see if they would be interested. I wanted to make sure you guys are aware that we are doing that and we'll find out what they have to say. We can make the decision at that time.
Mr. Hartwick: I think this is something again that has been very different for this Board from any previous Board, taking a look a future savings at the expense of us paying today. This has been the fiscal responsibilities that have been exerted by this Board. We're trying to take a look to make a payment upfront of $219,000 right now where future payments would be taken off the board and the savings would be realized which is exactly the opposite of any of the philosophy with previous boards. Obviously, we're trying to look at every possible area to provide savings and to pay upfront now and to avoid future problems or costs for other Boards that may follow us. It certainly is a philosophy that this Board has consistently followed and this is another example of some additional cost savings that this county could provide far into the future whether it is a part of this Board or not. I think the Board should be recognized and commended for that.
Mr. Haste: You haven't heard back from them yet have you?
Mr. Saylor: No. We only just sent the letter this week.
Mr. Haste: When we hear from them we'll take action.
Mr. Saylor: No action today, I just wanted to make sure it is on the record.
The second item, we recently received from ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, a letter and apparently they have been in touch with Ed Chubb repeatedly according to their letter, a copy of which I received. They are bringing our attention to the requirements to the Pennsylvania State's Copy Write Law. According to them, unless permission is obtained either from ASCAP or the individual members, whose works you are performing, each public performance of members copy write compositions of government owned facilities and sponsored events is an infringement of copy write and a violation of federal statute. To help us get around this, they have conveniently offered, rather than keeping tabs of music that might be played at our parks and other facilities, they have a plan where we can just pay, for our convenience, an annual fee to cover this. They based their fee on population of the municipality. For us that fee comes to about $2,000 a year. What that covers is any background music in municipal buildings, music played at employee functions, parties, senior center dances and classes, hospitals presumably nursing homes, and public parks among many others. I've reviewed this issue with the Solicitors. Ed has been basically ignoring these. We have been told that other counties are actually paying this fee. The Solicitors are reviewing it to see what options may exist. I wanted to bring this to your attention.
Mr. Haste: I would propose that we have a resolution ready for next week where we ban all ipods and tape recorders, we smash them and we can only listen to the radio. That is stupid.
Mr. Tully: As only Congress could do, playing the radio would actually fall into this particular category. So we have to get rid of the radios, too.
Mr. Haste: Okay, just sing to yourself and hope if you violate something you pay the fee.
Mr. Tully: We could have waivers at those functions where they're listening to themselves.
Mr. Hartwick: Take the elevator music off the phones as well while you are on hold.
Mr. Tully: Fortunately, most of the elevator music has passed the copy write 40 year.
Mr. Haste: If they feel so inclined to monitor our senior citizen events, they can do so.
Mr. Saylor: I'm told that they have actually done that in the past. They have sent representatives to monitor...
Mr. Haste: To the seniors?
Mr. Saylor: Possibly.
Mr. Haste: You can disclose that activity.
Mr. Saylor: Everything has been covered under this fee.
Mr. Haste: Do you have anything else?
Mr. Saylor: No, that is all I have.
COMMISSIONERS' DISCUSSION & ACTIONS
Mr. Haste: Is there anything to be brought before this Board of Commissioners?
Mr. DiFrancesco: It is time for directors at every level within this county to start closely monitoring what's coming out of Katrina in terms of lessons learned. It is very, very important that we start to pay attention to the media. In yesterday's news and I believe in today's paper, are the accounts of a nursing home down there where basically the staff walked away and left 30+ people to die in the flood. We saw some information yesterday on a hospital that attempted to treat people and lost a great number of them. While it is highly unlikely this area would have to face a flood event to the extent that happened down there, there are lessons to be learned in terms of other events that could happen here. This is a great learning opportunity for all of us in Dauphin County and every single department should be looking at the lessons learned. I assume every single department will be getting a tremendous amount of information that comes through whatever organizations they are affiliated with that we'll be sharing. I want to start presenting that right now. Start paying attention to that information and start learning from it. If we need to start making policy changes in the County, we need to move forward in that direction. Everybody should learn a lesson from what happened down south.
Mr. Haste: Is there anything else from the Board? (There was none.)
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr. Haste: We are at the time again for public participation. Smittie, do you want to come forward?
Mr. Brown: I just want to make a comment to the Commissioners as it relates to the people from Katrina. There are a number of people from that area who were supposed to come to Pennsylvania. Do we know what that number is? A number of those folks as we have been reading, will have a number of issues, substance abuse, mental health issues, they'll be homeless, and they'll be looking for jobs. So do we know at this point in time how many of those folks are going to actually be in and around Dauphin County?
Mr. DiFrancesco: To the best of my knowledge and through the last briefing rounds that I've had, there has been no movement of people into Dauphin County. That's not to say that people from down south who have relatives here haven't come up on their own. Any effort to move people into Dauphin County should come through the chain of command from PEMA to our Emergency Management Team. We should be aware and any coordinated effort that is taking place in our community in terms of finding housing should again come through the same chain of command from PEMA to Dauphin County. At this point, I'm not aware of anybody that has come in that's been sort of transplanted here.
Mr. Haste: Unless they have done it on their own.
Mr. DiFrancesco: Right, unless they have come up and are staying with relatives. Honestly, I know there are a lot of churches out there that are offering to take care of the people indicating we'll sort of adopt you if you come up. That is all through networks outside of the formal governmental network. But in terms of our Emergency Response to critical unmet needs, they have not moved anybody into the County.
Mr. Brown: We should all keep our eyes open.
Mr. DiFrancesco: And we will. I guarantee, should we be approached as a state that should set up shelters, etc., we will do that well and according to the plan. It will be a very well organized effort that everybody that needs to be involved with will be notified.
Mr. Haste: Barry, do you have something?
Mr. Wyrick: Next Tuesday evening, September 20th, the Dauphin County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program is hosting a nonpartisan voter information registration event focusing on individuals with disabilities. That event is being held at the CMU Building, 1100 S. Cameron St. We're serving dinner this year and it is starting at 5:30 p.m. The program will start at 6:30 p.m. The program is being co-sponsored by the Dauphin County Mental Retardation Advisory Committee; the Dauphin County Mental Health Advisory Committee; the Dauphin County Speaking for Ourselves, which is a mental retardation consumer group; and the Dauphin County Community Support Program, which is a Dauphin County Mental Health consumer group. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Commissioners for your support for this event. This is the second time that we have done this. We really do appreciate your support and encouragement in helping us put this together and the participation from other county offices in helping us coordinate this event.
Mr. Hartwick: Thank you for bringing that to the public's attention and everyone is invited to attend.
Mr. Haste: Is there anything else under public participation? (There was none.)
ADJOURNMENT
It was moved by Mr. Hartwick and seconded by Mr. DiFrancesco to adjourn the meeting; motion carried.
