120 likes | 233 Views
KALAMAZOO COUNTY State of the County. David C. Maturen Chairman Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. 2014. Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. Carolyn Alford. David Buskirk. Jeff Heppler. Brandt Iden. David Maturen. Julie Rogers. Michael Seals. Phil Stinchcomb.
E N D
KALAMAZOO COUNTYState of the County David C. Maturen Chairman Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners 2014
Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners Carolyn Alford David Buskirk Jeff Heppler Brandt Iden David Maturen Julie Rogers Michael Seals Phil Stinchcomb John Taylor Roger Tuinier John Zull
Elected Officials Back row pictured left to right: Timothy A. Snow, County Clerk/Register; Gary D. Hahn, Surveyor; Jeffrey S. Getting, Prosecuting Attorney; Richard C. Fuller, Sheriff. Front row picture left to right: Patricia Crowley, Drain Commissioner; Mary Balkema, Treasurer
County Administrator Peter Battani
Reducing and Eliminating Legacy Cost • Retiree Health Care • Retiree health care not offered for employees after January 1, 2012 • Non-union retirees pay at least same premium share as active employees: 20% • Bargaining position the same for union employees • Reducing costs of health care plans through design changes • Savings from these actions placed in a trust fund to cover future obligations, not at taxpayer expense
Reducing and Eliminating Legacy Cost • Pension • Kalamazoo County has no pension legacy cost obligations • Our Defined Benefit pension plan is fully funded: 103% in 2014 to 111% in 2015. • Unlike so many DB plans, the County’s is one of the best managed in the nation • Employer contributions only 4.5% of payroll in 2015, down from 7.7% in 2014 • Despite this success, also took steps for employees hired after April 1, 2014 to reduce multiplier • Increased emphasis employee contributions to Deferred Compensation
Reducing Law Enforcement (Sheriff’s Office) Compensation Costs • 2013 State of County addressed need to control unsustainable statewide costs of law enforcement • Major concessions in 2014 Collective Bargaining Agreements with Sheriff’s unions • New hire compensation scale reduced 10% from current personnel • New hires eligible for Defined Contribution pension at 10% of pay, rather than 16% for current staff • Concessions on retiree health care for future retirees.
Building Footprint Overhaul without Additional Taxpayer Cost • Complete overhaul of County facilities footprint • Major capital projects paid for by reducing operating budget • Except for the new Juvenile Home, no increased millage supported bonds. • Completed construction of expanded Jail; $23 million • Completed construction of Healy Street facility to house video visitation, Office of Community Corrections, and Department of Corrections (probation and parole); $5 million • Broke ground on new Gull Road Courthouse; $24 million • Next up: planning for a new site for Health and Community Services and future changes or additions to the Michigan Avenue Courthouse
Intergovernmental Consolidation • Public Transit • Transit consolidation proceeding according to plan • Achieved administrative consolidation: Director of the Kalamazoo County Transit Authority and Director of Kalamazoo Metro Transit combined in one position • Later this summer, Board of Commissioners will consider a two-tier plan for line-haul and demand-response bus service • Major intergovernmental effort
Consolidated Dispatch • Continued progress intergovernmental partners to find incremental and cost effective ways to achieve consolidated dispatch • Goal is to improve public safety at an affordable price • No $3 surcharges
TIFA Policy • Board of Commissioners considering a policy for how the County will approach Tax Increment Financing Authorities. • Need to restrict use of taxpayer dollars for economic development