ADOPTED - APRIL 28, 2009
Agenda Item No. 21
Introduced by the Finance Committee of the:
INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AREAS OF PRIORITY EMPHASIS
GUIDING 2010 ACTIVITIES AND BUDGET PROCESS
RESOLUTION #09-122
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
*Supporting 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 2010; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has identified significant revenue shortfalls including falling property tax assessments affecting budget projections for 2010; and
ADOPTED - APRIL 28, 2009
Agenda Item No. 21
RESOLUTION #09-122
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners can no longer apply “across the board” percentage cuts to each department to cover the projected revenue losses; and
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 2010 Budget; and
WHEREAS, to the extent that Ingham County will receive additional funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus funds), the Board of Commissioners will use these funds for their intended purpose of expanding specific services, and these funds should not be viewed as a long-term solution to balancing the Ingham County Budget.
WHEREAS, the Board of Commissioners has identified certain areas of priority emphasis to guide the development of the 2010 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 2010:
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 2010, 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. Any reduction or elimination of the County’s service levels should be focused primarily in areas of discretionary services, recognizing that all mandated services will also be considered for budget reductions to the extent possible and necessary.
2. 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 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, access to health care for the uninsured and under-insured, through the Ingham Health Plan and other health plan initiatives and programs. Provide high-quality nursing and rehabilitation services for our County’s senior citizens and disabled population, including through the Ingham County Medical Care Facility.
ADOPTED - APRIL 28, 2009
Agenda Item No. 21
RESOLUTION #09-122
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 Recreational Opportunities
Support recreational opportunities throughout Ingham County through maintenance of Ingham County Parks by implementation of the County Parks Master Plan, with an emphasis on leveraging funding from other sources, should they become available.
Specific enhancement: Maintaining environments that support physical activity for the health and well being of Ingham County residents as well as implementation of measures to improve the operation of Potter Park Zoo that includes the completion of a ten-year master plan for the Zoo that sets specific direction for future areas of focus.
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: 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, including the provision of a range of appropriate community-based direct and contractual treatment and service programs to be used in lieu of or in reduction of jail time.
ADOPTED - APRIL 28, 2009
Agenda Item No. 21
RESOLUTION /#09-122
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.
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 Agricultural 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 2010.
ADOPTED - APRIL 28, 2009
Agenda Item No. 21
RESOLUTON #09-122
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that 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.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that 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 an alternative plan to replace these services.
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, that efforts to expand the governance and funding structure of the Capital Region Airport Authority shall continue, with strong leadership from the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) to achieve meaningful progress by December 2009.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners supports the efforts of the neighborhood network centers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners supports the efforts to prevent environmental hazards to human health.
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 Controller/Administrator will continue to score and rank Community Agency applications based on a set of criteria approved by the Board of Commissioners and make a recommendation on specific funding levels for each applicant to the Human Services Committee.
FINANCE: Yeas: Grebner, Nolan, Bahar-Cook, Tennis, Davis
Nays: Dougan Absent: None Approved 4/22/09