The Finance Committee of the DeKalb County Board, met on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, @ 6:30p.m., in the DeKalb County Administration Building’s Conference Room East.  Chairman Jeff Whelan called the meeting to order.  Members present were Sue Leifheit, Jeff Metzger, Sr., Michael Haines, Dennis Sands, Ruth Anne Tobias and Jerry Augsburger.  Others present were Ray Bockman, Gary Hanson and Greg Millburg.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES    

                Moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Mr. Metzger, Sr., and it was carried unanimously to approve the minutes from November 2, 2005.

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

                Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Ms. Tobias, and it was carried unanimously to approve the agenda as presented.

FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE POLICY CHANGE

                Mr. Gary Hanson, DeKalb County Deputy County Administrator, passed out an amendment to the County’s Family Medical Leave Act.  He has crossed out the words that are being changed and underlined the new language.  The policy has been changed to “the time that a person can use family leave from a calendar year to a rolling year.”  He explained that the County employees are eligible to take 12 weeks off for family and medical leave currently for qualifying circumstances on a calendar year basis.  He said that an employee could time their needs to be off for the last three months of the year and then again for three months off in the beginning of the new year.  People have been able to do this, that is, some of them have taken up to 24 weeks in off in a row, he said.      

                Moved by Ms. Leifheit, seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to be forwarded to the full board for approval.

SELF-INSURANCE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

                Mr. Hanson explained that currently we are under a contribution method of paying the State of Illinois, our rate, which is 1.6% out of each person’s salary up to the first $10,500.00 in salary.  Any unemployment claims that are chargeable to us are just paid by the State, he explained.  You have the option to self-insure that exposure.  This year in the first 3 quarters of the year we have paid in almost $100,000 and only had claims amounting to $28,000.  We feel that there could be some significant savings, said Mr. Hanson.  We would have to stay in this program for two years.

                Mr. Haines asked how much would we put aside for self-insurance?                 Mr. Hanson said for the first year we would continue the 1.6% and charge ourselves.  If we see a savings then we should be able to back it down. We would administer the plan ourselves and there would not be any additional costs to run this or hire any employees. 

Moved by Mr. Haines, seconded by Mr. Augsburger, and it was carried unanimously to

forward the recommendation to the full board for approval.

Chairman Whelan then asked Mr. Hanson, before adjourning, if the committee would need to discuss the 2007 budget with regards to department heads gearing down to save some money? 

Mr. Hanson said that currently department heads are always looking for ways to run departments in the most efficient way then can.  Are you looking to cut out a program? Asked Mr. Hanson. 

Mr. Whelan said it may come to that, but what he was speaking about was if something happens to the economy.  Are there some big expenditures coming up or a large number of computers to purchase?

Mr. Hanson said that he knows of nothing now.  We would need to know what your priorities are, what is most important to you? 

Mr. Haines said that he was wondering about the $1 million accumulated for the Health Department to build a building.  Was this money set aside specifically for this or was this money squirreled away?  Mr. Hanson said that this was money generated out of their home care program.  Mr. Haines asked if any department could accumulate funds like this?  Mr. Bockman said that the health department is run by an autonomous statutorily separate board and it is not available to you.  Mr. Haines said, like the Forest Preserve?  Mr. Bockman said yes.

ADJOURNMENT

                Moved by Ms. Tobias, seconded by Mr. Haines, and it was carried unanimously to adjourn the meeting.

                                                                                                Respectively submitted by,

                                                                                                _________________________________

                                                                                                Jeff Whelan, Chairman

_________________________________

Mary C. Supple, Secretary

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