Macoupin County Finance Committee met Nov. 4.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
I. CALL TO ORDER
PRESENT: Thomas, Dragovich, Harding (Remote), Heuer, Kiel, Duncan, Anderson
ABSENT: Armour, Payne
II. AGENDA ITEMS
1. Resolution Regarding Highway Federal Aid Matching Funds
Clerk Duncan said IDOT had recently informed them that in 2020, he did not get the federal aid matching tax extension at that required .045 rate. Normally, he would have caught that and lowered the general fund extension at a rate equal to what would take to get the federal aid matching rate to the correct amount. But the 2019 payable 2020 taxes were extended in April 2020. That was the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic, right after the 2020 Primary that had to be finalized. While the other offices were postponing work, the Courthouse staff went on split shifts so his office was busy with half staff. The committee had two options. They could certify that the county hit it's limiting rate or they could transfer about 24,000 dollars from the General Fund to the Federal Aid Matching Fund which is how much would have taken it to the .045 rate. This is required in order for the Highway Department to get full matching for projects from the Federal government.
Motion by Dragovich, seconded by Kiel to recommend the resolution.
| RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mark Dragovich, Vice Chair SECONDER: Bernie Kiel, Member AYES: Thomas, Dragovich, Harding, Heuer, Kiel ABSENT: Armour, Payne |
Duncan said that two receipts of the Courthouse renovation grants had been receipted in the grant fund when they should have been receipted in the general fund, where the expenses happened. This resolution would increase the grant fund budget in the total of the transfer and authorize the transfer.
Motion by Dragovich, seconded by Harding to recommend the resolution.
| RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mark Dragovich, Vice Chair SECONDER: Bill Harding, Member AYES: Thomas, Dragovich, Harding, Heuer, Kiel ABSENT: Armour, Payne |
Duncan said Jim Goldasich with the Sheriff's department had been working hard with getting the Frontier phone transfer away completed. After numerous attempts, he had gotten them to send an itemized list of what the final charges would be. There is a $1,600 bill left to be paid. He felt we did owe that. They had attempted to get a note from Frontier ensuring this was the final charge, but they had not received it yet.
Motion by Heuer, seconded by Kiel to recommend paying the bill.
| RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Gordon Heuer, Member SECONDER: Bernie Kiel, Member AYES: Thomas, Dragovich, Harding, Heuer, Kiel ABSENT: Armour, Payne |
Duncan said there had been a second round of requests sent to the consultant for review if it was an eligible use. Once that was back, he would send those findings out the requesting officials and department heads for them to review. It should be expected that officials and department heads will more than likely be coming to the committee soon requesting funding.
5. Update on Financial Software Upgrade
Duncan updated the committee that the financial software upgrade is moving along well. The support received from the company had been good and they are right on schedule for going live at the end of the month. The goal would also be to give officials and department heads access to the budget reports and the ability to check if a bill has been paid or not at the beginning of the year.
6. Payroll Processing Bids
Clerk Duncan said he had gotten a bid from Gucciardo CPAs for handling payroll processing. While there would still be work to do on the county's side, Gucciardo would handle the processing, quarterly reports, and year ends. Right now, there would be about $5,000 more a year being spend to have Gucciardo do it over paying the annual cost of the salary. The payroll clerk is nearing retirement age, and using the current salaries, there is about a $23,000 in savings from her salary to a new starting salary. That means 4 years worth of the $5,000 cost differential would be saved in one year. Duncan was trying to get another finalized bid from another CPAs. Thomas suggested getting the power to act on the issue to make a decision before the end of the month.
Motion by Dragovich, seconded by Kiel to recommend the Finance Committee be granted the power to act on the payroll processing bids.
| RESULT: MOTION TO RECOMMEND [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Mark Dragovich, Vice Chair SECONDER: Bernie Kiel, Member AYES: Thomas, Dragovich, Harding, Heuer, Kiel ABSENT: Armour, Payne |
Treasurer Anderson gave an update on the property tax distribuition. He said he had started on the second distribution in mid-September. The vendor required an update that was going to be done by the end of September. Then he was pushed into early October. They kept pushing it back. Once the update was completed, the checks were ready to print, however, it did not have the routing number, account number, MICR information, was on it. Our check stock was not compatible with their system. He needed to order checks from the tax printer in Springfield. He talked with the printer yesterday and she hoped they would be ready Friday and she could ship them. He said he'd pick them up. Thomas asked what amount would for this distribution. Anderson said there was about $30 million dollars. Thomas said he was wondering what percentage of the levy they would be receiving. Districts had been getting frontloaded checks in previous years and this year, Mt Olive township didn't even get 20%. Anderson said he thought they would get considerably more than 20% this next check. Anderson said if he could get the checks tomorrow he would stuff them at home. Kiel asked if he thought it would be first of the week and Anderson said that was late to him. Anderson said he was planning on doing another distribution in three weeks time.
http://macoupincountyil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=12&ID=3704&Inline=True
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