ADOPTED - APRIL 27, 2010
Agenda Item No. 14
Introduced by the Finance Committee of the:
INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AREAS OF PRIORITY EMPHASIS
GUIDING 2011 ACTIVITIES AND BUDGET PROCESS
RESOLUTION #10-130
WHEREAS, Ingham County government is committed to assuring the provision of services most important to its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Ingham County services are focused on these long-term objectives:
*Enhancing access to county records
*Providing suitable roads and drains
*Providing recreational opportunities
*Fostering economic well being
*Promoting environmental protection and smart growth
*Preventing and controlling disease
*Promoting accessible health care
*Assisting in meeting basic needs
*Fostering appropriate youth development
*Supporting public safety
*Assuring judicial processing
*Providing appropriate sanctions for adult offenders
*Providing appropriate treatment and sanctions for at-risk juveniles; and
WHEREAS, these services are to be delivered in a manner which emphasizes:
* An educated and participating citizenry
* An ongoing capacity for intergovernmental collaboration
* A quality workforce
* Cost-effective delivery of county services
* Maximum use of technology; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has assessed information provided by county staff and departments, offices and the courts related to issues and concerns which are important for the County to consider addressing in 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has identified significant revenue shortfalls including falling property tax assessments affecting budget projections for 2011; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners can no longer apply “across the board” percentage cuts to each department to cover the projected revenue losses; and
ADOPTED - APRIL 27, 2010
Agenda Item No. 14
RESOLUTION #10-130
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners must take all this information into consideration when developing areas of priority and areas that may need to be significantly reduced or eliminated to make up for the projected revenue shortfalls in the development process for the 2011 Budget; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has identified certain areas of priority emphasis to guide the development of the 2011 Budget and activities of county staff.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners adopts the following areas of priority emphasis to be utilized by the Controller’s Office and the county offices, departments, agencies, and courts in developing proposed activities and budgets for 2011:
1. To the extent necessary and appropriate, mandated services currently provided by county government in support of all its long-term objectives should be continued in 2011, with ongoing evaluation to identify possible overlap and duplication of services and to identify more efficient uses of county funds. Current year expenditures should be supported by current year revenues.
2. The Board of Commissioners will be forced to reduce or eliminate service levels primarily in areas of discretionary services, yet recognizing that all mandated services will also be considered for budget reductions to the extent possible and necessary in this unprecedented time.
3. Priority consideration should be given to maintaining current efforts with respect to all of the following long-term objectives; to considering proposals which enhance their achievement; and to implementing specific identified enhancements:
Promoting Accessible Health Care
Continue to maintain and, expand to the extent that funding becomes available through the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, access to health care for the uninsured and under-insured, through the Ingham Health Plan and other health plan initiatives and programs. Evaluate the effect of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on the delivery of public health services in Ingham County.
Specific enhancement: Include a financing plan
to enable the Ingham Health Plan Corporation, utilizing the Ingham Health Plan
and the Ingham County Advantage Program, to continue to provide access
to health care at a level at least equal to that being provided in 2008,
and to utilize any available matching funds in order to increase the number of
uninsured county residents being served, with an ultimate goal of providing
access to health care for 100% of uninsured county residents.
Supporting Public Safety
Because of continual declining revenue, it has become necessary to significantly reduce and/or eliminate discretionary services. Road patrol, as we know it, is a discretionary service that has been significantly reduced to date and is expected to face further cuts until totally eliminated. Therefore, it is the intent of the Board of Commissioners to eliminate road patrol services effective January 1, 2011.
ADOPTED - APRIL 27, 2010
Agenda Item No. 14
RESOLUTION #10-130
It is also the intent of the Board to encourage townships to work cooperatively to unite and consider contracting for primary law enforcement services with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office to meet the level of service they deem necessary. It is also the intent of the Board of Commissioners to offer financial assistance to facilitate the creation of a multi-jurisdictional authority to contract with the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office for the provision of the necessary primary law enforcement services.
The Ingham County Board of Commissioners and county staff will continue to work cooperatively with townships that rely on the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office for primary Law Enforcement Services to implement a plan to contract for these services.
Specific enhancement: Reduce the cost of providing primary law enforcement services to Ingham County townships and other jurisdictions by providing assistance in the creation of an authority to govern the provision of law enforcement service and through the implementation of a system of contracting for law enforcement services with that authority, using resources contracted from the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office.
Supporting Recreational Opportunities
Provide recreational opportunities throughout Ingham County to the extent possible, guided by the County Parks Master Plan, and available resources (internal and external) as they are available.
Specific enhancement: In light of the current budget situation, the County will strive to maintain the current assets and services provided at the major parks, while also transferring Baldwin Park to Onondaga Township and looking at possible efficiencies.
Providing Appropriate Sanctions for Adult Offenders
Encourage the use of appropriate sanctions for adults in order to foster appropriate behavior and reduce criminal recidivism, and to reduce incidents of jail overcrowding, using strategies such as supporting implementation of recommendations of the Jail Overcrowding Subcommittee and Community Corrections Advisory Board as well as working with community partners such as Mid-South Substance Abuse Commission to facilitate treatment of substance abuse disorders, develop and use a data tracking system focusing on system volume and trends, supporting appropriate usage of existing probation residential services, to increase the usage of GPS/tethering equipment, and using improved information collection, automation, record keeping, and information exchange between departments. This information will be used to help improve jail utilization.
Specific enhancement: In light of the current budget situation, including the closing a jail post as part of the 2011 budget, support efforts to increase access to program alternatives available through Community Corrections, utilizing state funds. Consider county financial support to implement the recommendations of the Community Corrections Advisory Board and Jail Utilization Coordinating Committee, increased use of the existing range of appropriate community-based direct and contractual treatment and service programs, including electronic monitoring, residential beds, and other alternative sentencing options, as well as implementing system enhancements in jail-related programs, such as pre-trial services and jail population management.
ADOPTED - APRIL 27, 2010
Agenda Item No. 14
RESOLUTION #10-130
Providing Appropriate Treatment and Sanctions for at Risk Juveniles
Continue to implement recommendations resulting from the system‑wide evaluation of programs and placements for delinquent juveniles done by the Center for Criminal Justice Research, and from the development of strategies by the Ingham County/City of Lansing Community Coalition for Youth, utilizing Child Care Funds and Juvenile Justice Millage funds to maintain the juvenile justice system in a manner that is most appropriate for Ingham County in order to foster appropriate behavior, apply appropriate sanctions, and reduce criminal recidivism.
Specific enhancement: Use Juvenile Justice Millage funds to continue implementation of the Action Plan created in the Chinn Study, including specifically: the operation of the Continuum of Care facility known as the Ingham County Family Center that houses the Ingham Academy with a comprehensive juvenile assessment component; day treatment/evening reporting program; and center for respite/crisis intervention to support community-based programming that will support the Court’s and County’s goals of treating adjudicated youth locally within Ingham County whenever appropriate, as advised by the Ingham County/City of Lansing Community Coalition for Youth and the Ingham County Family Center Board .
Promote Environmental Protection and Smart Growth
Discuss and implement strategies for fostering appropriate land use and protecting natural resources, such as implementation of a Purchase of Development Rights program, the County’s commitment to the Cool Counties Climate Stabilization Goal, and other strategies being recommended by the Tri‑County Growth Study Project. Develop and implement green building strategies for existing and new County facilities.
Specific enhancement: Promoting initiatives encouraging urban redevelopment and protecting agriculture in rural areas, and consider specific proposals which enhance this objective, such as supporting the activities of the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Board, Land Bank Authority, and supporting the resources to monitor the environment for threats and hazards to human health, and implementing recommendations of the Tri-County Growth Study. Promote green design standards, such as those of the U.S. Green Building Council to optimize and/or enhance indoor air quality, water and energy use efficiency, recycling, connectivity to walkable communities and public transit, eco-friendly landscaping and building materials, the use of natural lighting and heating, stormwater runoff features, environmental protection and other green building and green site practices.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners encourages all departments, offices, and courts to consider these priorities in the development of their budgets and activities for 2011.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County will continue to work in cooperation with the Cities of Lansing and East Lansing to implement the Action Plan developed by Plante & Moran to achieve the goal of a consolidated 911 Dispatch Center.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners supports the efforts to prevent environmental hazards to human health.
ADOPTED - APRIL 27, 2010
Agenda Item No. 14
RESOLUTION #10-130
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners will explore efficiencies through regional cooperation, including exploration of regionalizing the provision of employee health care benefits.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that efforts to expand and increase the use of technology county-wide will continue, including ongoing efforts to upgrade the County’s computer and telephone systems within reasonable efforts and budget constraints.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners will establish a retirement coalition to provide long term strategies to restructure retirement benefits that are financially sustainable and appropriate for all new employees.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Community Agency funding will continue, but at a reduced level within available funds, and possibly through a different funding mechanism.
FINANCE: Yeas: Grebner, Tennis, Bahar-Cook, Schor
Nays: Holman, Dougan Absent: None Approved 4/21/10