Lancaster County
Board of Commissioners
Board of Commissioners
lancaster.ne.gov
STAFF MEETING AGENDA
Lancaster County Board Of Commissioners
Tuesday, September 8, 1998 - 12:00 Noon
County-City Building - Meeting Room #113
AGENDA ITEM
1 12:00pm SALARY & BENEFITS FOR BAILIFFS -
Honorable Earl J. Witthoff; Diane Staab, Deputy County
Attorney; John Cripe, Classification & Pay Officer
2 ACTION ITEMS
a. Microcomputer Request from Corrections,
C#98239, for $10,588.23 from Corrections Budget
for Six (6) Compaq Deskpros, Six (6) Monitors,
Three (3) Printers and One (1) Scanner
b. Microcomputer Request from Corrections,
C#98238, for $2,700.55 from Corrections-Inmate
Benefit Budget for Two of Each of the Following:
Compaq Deskpros, Monitors, CD-ROM Drives,
Sound Cards, Speakers, Surge Strips, Mousepads
3 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER REPORT
a. Justice Building Change Order for District Court
4 DISCUSSION OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Joint Budget Committee - Campbell
b. Ecological Advisory Committee - Campbell, Heier
c. Railroad Transportation Safety District - Heier,
Steinman, Svoboda
d. Public Building Commission - Campbell
5 SCHEDULE OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Board of Health - Tuesday, September 8,
1998, at 7:00 p.m., at 3119 "O" Street - Hudkins
b. Southeast District NACO Meeting -
Thursday, September 10, 1998, at 9:00 a.m., at the
Villager Motor Inn - Campbell, Steinman
c. Master Plan Steering Committee -
Thursday, September 10, 1998, at 1:00 p.m, at the
County-City Building, Room #106 - Hudkins
d. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board -
Thursday, September 10, 1998, at 4:00 p.m., at the
County-City Building, Commissioners Hearing
Room - Heier
e. General Assistance Monitoring Committee -
Tuesday, September 15, 1998, at 8:00 a.m., at the
County-City Building, Room #106 - Campbell, Heier
f. Government Access & Information
Committee - Wednesday, September 16, 1998,
at 12:00 p.m., at the County-City Building, Room
#206 - Steinman
g. City-County Common - Friday, September
18, 1998, at 8:00 a.m., at the County-City Building,
Room #113 - All Commissioners
6 CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COUNTY BOARD
7 CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE COUNTY BOARD
8 AGENDA ITEMS FOR COUNTY BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 15, 1998
9 EMERGENCY ITEMS AND OTHER BUSINESS
Minutes
Lancaster County Board Of Commissioners
County-city Building
Meeting Room #113
Tuesday, September 8, 1998
12 P.M.
Commissioners Present: Linda Steinman, Chair
Kathy Campbell
Bernie Heier
Commissioners Absent: Steve Svoboda
Larry Hudkins
Others Present: Kerry Eagan, Chief Administrative Officer
Ann Taylor, County Clerk's Office
AGENDA ITEM
1 SALARY & BENEFITS FOR BAILIFFS - District Court
Judge Earl J. Witthoff; Diane Staab, Deputy County Attorney
Benefits for Bailiffs
Judge Witthoff reported that bailiffs' duties include
transcription of court decrees and orders, scheduling of the
daily court agenda, conducting pre-trial conferences with
attorneys and processing of protection orders. He noted that the
bailiff position is full-time, with frequent late work hours,
such as when juries are in deliberations.
In response to a question from Campbell, Judge Witthoff stated
that a bailiff's vacation leave must coincide with that of the
judge the bailiff serves. He estimated that their vacation leave
averages four weeks per year, with six weeks the maximum allowed.
Judge Witthoff indicated that other absences of short duration
are approved at the discretion of the affected judge. He noted
that the extended maternity leave requested by the Child Support
Referee's Bailiff was unusual, in that it necessitated hiring of
a replacement.
Steinman asked Judge Witthoff whether he thought bailiffs might
be willing to share receptionist and Court Administrator duties,
which include determination of indigency, in the new Hall of
Justice and Law Enforcement Center in exchange for regulated sick
and vacation leave benefits.
Judge Witthoff noted that bailiffs serve in an at-will capacity
and the District Court Judges have been reluctant to initiate any
changes in policy that would treat bailiffs as vested County employees.
Campbell noted that the make-up of the Board is subject to change
and it may be to the bailiffs' advantage to have a policy in
place that clearly defines leave benefits.
In response to a question from Heier, Judge Witthoff stated that
the Douglas County Court Administrator's office performs many of
the scheduling functions assigned to bailiffs in Lancaster County.
Steinman suggested that alternative solutions may be to hire an
additional bailiff to cover absences and perform receptionist
duties for the District, County and Juvenile Courts or to request
that judges share bailiffs if scheduling and technology duties
are assigned to a Court Administrator position.
Campbell suggested that bailiff positions could also become part-time,
with commensurate salary.
The Board requested that Judge Witthoff discuss a regulated leave
policy and expanded job duty issues with the other District Court
Judges and report back to the Board.
Judge Witthoff agreed and stated that he would forward a copy of
the written job description for bailiffs and a pamphlet prepared
by Judge Merritt to the Board.
Eagan noted that a review of State Statutes, for applicable law
with regards to bailiffs, will also be necessary.
Campbell suggested that the County seek legislative change which
would shift responsibility for bailiffs to the State.
Salary for Bailiffs
Eagan noted that the District Court Judges recommended a 1.5 percent
merit and a 3.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment for the bailiffs.
Board consensus to approve a 3.5 percent salary increase and Post
Employment Health Care Plan (PEHP) benefit for the bailiffs,
retroactive to August 27, 1998. The Board agreed to continue to
explore the issues of expansion of duties and providing sick
leave and vacation benefits for the bailiffs.
2 ACTION ITEMS
a. Microcomputer Request from Corrections, C#98239,
for $10,588.23 from Corrections Budget for Six (6)
Compaq Deskpros, Six (6) Monitors, Three (3)
Printers and One (1) Scanner
b. Microcomputer Request from Corrections, C#98238,
for $2,700.55 from Corrections-Inmate Benefit
Budget for Two (2) of Each of the Following:
Compaq Deskpros, Monitors, CD-ROM Drives, Sound
Cards, Speakers, Surge Strips, Mousepads
MOTION: Campbell moved and Heier seconded to approve Action Items
a and b, from the Corrections and Corrections-Inmate Benefit
Budgets. On call Campbell, Heier and Steinman voted aye. Motion
carried.
3 ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER REPORT
a. Hall of Justice and Law Enforcement Center Change
Order for District Court
Eagan noted that the change order request will be delayed until
further information regarding the results of a meeting held by
the District Court Judges is made available.
4 DISCUSSION OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Joint Budget Committee - Campbell
Campbell reported that the City and County will each be required
to provide $5,000, for each of the next two years, in support of
a Communities Helping Immigrants and Refugees Progress (CHIRP)
grant, which provides a system for accessing health and human
services. She noted that this item was not included in the budget.
Campbell reported that a response had been received from Jessie
Rasmussen, State Health & Human Services Director, in which she
indicated that Lancaster County was not envisioned as a separate
Network Management Service Area.
Campbell also reported that:
Kit Boesch, Human Services Administrator, has recommended
that the County apply for an additional $5,000 Community
Correction Grant for planning purposes
Joan Modrell, Urban Development Director, has suggested that
one District Court Judge be assigned, for a one year term, any
cases involving environmental issues, such as illegal dumping
Region V has received an additional FYI grant, which will allow
them to provide case management for an additional ten youth
b. Ecological Advisory Committee - Campbell, Heier
Campbell stated that a status report on the Wilderness Park
survey was received and Betsy Kosier, Lincoln Lancaster Mediation
Center, provided an overview of the Wilderness Park Subarea Study
- Issue Identification Process.
Campbell also reported that a request to form a Greenbelt
Subcommittee to look at ways to create an area of green around
the City of Lincoln was placed on hold until reports are received
from Parks & Recreation and the Planning Department on what is
currently being done to provide parks and green space.
c. Railroad Transportation Safety District - Heier,
Steinman, Svoboda
Steinman reported that the Railroad Transportation Safety
District (RTSD) operating budget will need to be extended out to
pay for existing projects, while maintaining necessary reserves.
Steinman also reported that the University of Nebraska and the
railroads have agreed to reallocate $200,000 in additional costs
associated with the engineering amendment for the "X" Street Project.
d. Public Building Commission - Campbell
Campbell reported that asbestos removal has been completed in the
Hall of Justice and Law Enforcement Center.
Campbell also reported that the Arts Council has proposed that a
Citizens Committee be formed to develop criteria for art
donations for the City/County Government Complex.
5 SCHEDULE OF BOARD MEMBER MEETINGS
a. Board of Health- Tuesday, September 8, 1998, at 7
p.m., at 3119 "O" Street - Hudkins
b. Southeast District Nebraska Association of County
Officials (NACO) Meeting - Thursday, September 10,
1998, at 9 a.m., at the Villager Motor Inn -
Campbell, Steinman
c. Master Plan Steering Committee - Thursday,
September 10, 1998, at 1 p.m., at the County-City
Building, Room #106 - Hudkins
d. Parks & Recreation Advisory Board - Thursday,
September 10, 1998, at 4 p.m., at the County-City
Building, Commissioners Hearing Room - Heier
e. General Assistance Monitoring Committee - Tuesday,
September 15, 1998, at 8 a.m., at the County-City
Building, Room #106 - Campbell, Heier
f. Government Access & Information Committee -
Wednesday, September 23, 1998, at 12 p.m., at the
County-City Building, Room #206 - Steinman
g. City-County Common - Friday, September 18, 1998,
at 8 a.m., at the County-City Building, Room #113
- All Commissioners
6 CORRESPONDENCE TO THE COUNTY BOARD
7 CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE COUNTY BOARD
8 AGENDA ITEMS FOR COUNTY BOARD MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 15, 1998
9 EMERGENCY ITEMS AND OTHER BUSINESS
10 ADJOURNMENT
By direction of the Chair, the meeting was adjourned.
______________________
Kandra Hahn
Lancaster County Clerk