Weld Countycouncil
MINUTES
WELD COUNTYCOUNCIL
January 22, 2018
The Weld County Council met in regular session in full conformity with the Weld CountyHomeRule Charter at 6:30 p.m., Monday, January 22, 2018, at the Weld CountyAdministrationBuilding, 1150 0 Street, Greeley, CO. The meeting was rescheduled from January 15,2018,due to inclementweather.
ROLLCALL:
The meeting was called to order by President Brett Abernathy. Councilmen MichaelGrilles,JordanJemiola,CharlesTuckerandGeneStillewerepresent,constitutingaquorumofmembers.Also present was County Attorney Bruce Barker and County Council Secretary LindaKane.
APPROVAL OFAGENDA
Councilman Jemiola moved the election of a President and Vice-President be placed atthebeginning of the meeting. Councilman Grilles moved the salary discussion be placedunderOldBusiness.
Councilman Stille made a motion to approve the agenda, as amended, seconded by Councilman Abernathy, andcarried.
ELECTION OF COUNCIL PRESIDENT ANDVICE-PRESIDENT
Councilman Tucker nominated Councilman Stille for Council President, it was secondedbyCouncilman Jemiola and carriedunanimously.
Councilman Stille nominated Councilman Tucker for Vice-President, it was secondedbyCouncilman Abernathy and carriedunanimously.
APPBQYAL OfDOCUMENTATION:
Approval of December 18, 2017,Minutes
Councilman Tucker made a motion to approve the December, 2017, minutes, secondedbyCouncilman Grilles, and the motioncarried.
REVIEWPROGRAM:
There was no reviewprogram.
PUBLICCOMMENT:
Steve Reams, of Johnstown, and Weld County Sheriff, discussed salaries. He said hewasspeakingforhimselfandClerkRecorderCarlyKoppes.Hesaidhersalary shouldbeincreasedand based not on her personality, but on the requirements of herjob.
Sheriff Reams provided some documentation in reference to state salary ranges. He saidhisoffice employs about 390 people and he has about 760 inmates in the jail at anytime.
DaveKisker,ofJohnstown,alsoprovidedCouncilwithdocumentation ofsupportforraisesfortheSheriff, Clerk & Recorder's office and the County Assessor. He recommended theCountyCommissioners' salaries remain thesame.
Mary Farr, of Greeley, said she has lived in Weld County since 1973 and has been activeinpolitics since 1982. She said the sheriff was poorly paid and should receive a raise. She saidhisdepartment can't be compared to any other department because it has many facets suchaspatrol,thejailandaSWATteam.ShesaidthesheriffhastokeepWeldCountysafeandthatwhen he kisses his wife good morning, he may not come back at night. She said his jobismammoth.
Arthur Carlson, of Greeley, congratulated Council on its ongoing work. He said the sheriff isanoutstanding individual, that he should be rewarded properly and he'd like to see him continuetowork in Weld County. Mr. Carlson was also in support of a raise for the Clerk &Recorder.
GeraldKilpatrick,ofLaSalle,askedthatdraftedminutesbeplacedonthewebsiteaftermeetings.Counsel Barker said it would be ok to publish minutes as long as they were marked"draft."
CouncilmanGrillesmadeamotiontoputdraftedminutesonthewebsite,itwassecondedbyCouncilman Tucker andcarried.
OLD BUSINESS:
Salaries
CouncilmanTuckermadeamotiontoraisethesalaryoftheSheriffto$160,000,secondedbyCouncilman Jemiola, and carriedunanimously.
CouncilmanGrillesmadeamotiontoincreasetheClerkRecordersalaryto$120,000,itwasseconded by Councilman Tucker and carriedunanimously.
Councilman Jemiola made a motion to increase the salary of the County Assessor to$120,000,it was seconded by Councilman Tucker and carriedunanimously.
CouncilmanAbernathymadeamotiontomaintaincurrentsalariesfortheCountyCommissioners,it was seconded by Councilman Grilles and carriedunanimously.
NEWBUSINESS:
Coordinator Reports/CouncilmanReports
Councilman Stille reported that two constituents contacted him with concerns. He was abletocommunicate those concerns with commissioners and the planning commission andtheissues were resolved. He said he was happy the constituents felt comfortable approachingaCouncilmember.
Bills
Councilman Jemiola made a motion to approve bills, it was seconded by CouncilmanJemiolaandcarried.
Discussion of an Ad-Hoc Committee to Establish a County WhistleblowerPolicyCouncilman Stille said the county needed to make it comfortable for whistleblowers tocomeforward. He suggested a 7-9 member committee be established with members ofvaried backgrounds.
Councilman Grilles said he and Councilman Abernathy have explored theissue.
t?1ICountyAttorneyBarkersaiditwasbeingexploredbytheCountyCommissioners,asaresultof the recentaudits.
Councilman Grilles made a motion to create an ad hoc advisory committee to begin theprocessof forming a whistleblower policy, it was seconded by Councilman Tucker, andcarried.
ADJOURNMENT:
By acclamation, the meeting was adjourned at 7:19p.m.