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Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Board Members 9:00 AM Denny Barney, Chairman, District 1 Steve Chucri, Vice Chairman, District 2 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Andrew Kunasek, District 3 Maricopa County, Arizona Clint Hickman, District 4 (and the Boards of Directors of the Flood Control District, Marie Lopez Rogers, District 5 Library District, Stadium District, Improvement Districts, and/or Board of Deposit) County Manager Tom Manos "The mission of Maricopa County is to Clerk of the Board provide regional leadership and fiscally Fran McCarroll responsible, necessary public services to its residents so they can enjoy living in healthy and safe communities.” Meeting Location Supervisors' Conference Room 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003 BOARD OF SUPERVISORS The Board of Supervisors of Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona, convened in Informal Session at 9:00 AM on Monday, December 08, 2014, in the Supervisors' Conference Room, 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85003, with the following members present: Denny Barney, Chairman, District 1; Steve Chucri, Vice Chairman, District 2; Andrew Kunasek, District 3; Clint Hickman, District 4; Marie Lopez Rogers, District 5. Also present: Fran McCarroll, Clerk of the Board; Maria Armstrong, Minutes Coordinator; Tom Manos, County Manager; and Michelle Wood, Legal Counsel. PRESENTATION County Administration 1. PRESENTATION ON THE FY 2016 BUDGET FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS Presentation regarding the FY 2016 budget from Maricopa County Elected Officials: Maricopa County Treasurer Charles "Hos" Hoskins Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery Maricopa County Justice Courts C. Steven McMurry Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Don Covey Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen (C-20-15-026-M-00) NOTE: Maricopa County Schools Superintendent Don Covey will present at a later date. County Treasurer County Treasurer Charles Hoskins introduced Richard Greene, his Deputy Treasurer. Mr. Hoskins distributed three handouts which were used as the basis of the presentation. Mr. Hoskins noted that there would be no increase in the operating budget but a request for a one-time cost of $250,000 to upgrade aged servers. He stated that the number one priority is the Request for Proposals (RFP) set to replace the Information Technology (IT) system. Chairman Barney noted the RFP responses are set for December 15, 2014 and asked that Mr. Hoskins confer with Board of Supervisors staff regarding the details of the RFP. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 2 of 7 Supervisor Chucri stated new estimates indicate increased costs from what was originally presented. Mr. Hoskins explained that the previous RFP came in much lower because it did not contain all of the specifications needed for the new system. Mr. Hoskins noted the complexities of the current system that would need to be considered within the new system, and then compared the cost to two other county department system upgrades. He suggested considering including the cost of mailing tax bills and information statements within the Treasurer’s budget. The department would absorb the cost of an additional mailing for Proposition 117 and 480. Supervisor Kunasek asked for clarification on the effect Proposition 117 would have on the budget. Mr. Hoskins responded that the effect could be significant cost shifts between commercial and residential properties. Mr. Hoskins stated that the call center received approximately 200,000 calls regarding residential property taxes. There was discussion regarding the options in delivering the message to the residents. Mr. Hoskins suggested funding the agency budget from portfolio interest earnings to reduce general fund spending. He noted that the number of delinquent tax liens are down. He said there would be potential savings of approximately $20,000 in the move to County-owned warehouse space. Additionally, there would be cost savings with the shift to electronic records within departments and property owners accepting their tax bills electronically. The duties of the Treasurer are to collect, secure and distribute public monies and that was done without any losses during the recession. Mr. Hoskins noted that the greatest risk is the current information technology system. He said that $10-15 billion is collected each year with nearly 60 percent of the monies going to the Schools. Supervisor Hickman asked if the Office of Enterprise Technology (OET) department is being utilized for the Information Systems Technology upgrade. Mr. Hoskins responded that he is working with individuals from the OET and Assessor’s departments on the project to be sure the project is not a duplication of a similar project in development in the County. Chairman Barney recognized Supervisor-Elect Steve Gallardo. The Board took a break at 9:34 a.m. and reconvened at 9:40 a.m. Justice Courts Presiding Justice of the Peace, C. Steven McMurry, and Jeff Fine, Justice Court Administrator, distributed a copy of the Justice Courts’ presentation. Judge McMurry noted that the Justice Courts are working smarter and stated that a Judicial Collection Enhancement Fund (JCEF) grant is now providing funding for Mr. Fine’s position. Five new Justices of the Peace will be starting in January. He gave a brief summary of Mr. Fine’s position and the education mentoring of the new Judges. He noted the possibility of discontinuing issuing warrants on nonpayment of fines because the cost to the County is significant. Mr. Fine noted his credentials and gave an overview of accomplishments and challenges for the Justice Courts. He noted several accomplishments and initiatives such as: a newly established online payment system; the civil electronic document management system; electronic filing of criminal and traffic citations; Southwest Regional Center cost mitigation and master plan; strong advances in professional development with Arizona Government training and Arizona State University; technology development; restructuring of centralized Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 3 of 7 administration; increased collaboration and partnering. He reviewed the challenges including: difficulties in the current organizational structure; implementing a structure for training supervisors, and issues related to self-represented litigants. Supervisor Chucri asked if the paper processing is the big issue of why the County is behind on the business practices. Mr. Fine responded that the issue is mainly on how the County communicates with the customers. Judge McMurry noted that customers could receive court reminders through email. Mr. Fine indicated that sending an electronic reminder is a great example of cutting costs related to missed court appearances and serving of warrants. Mr. Fine noted that the initial $10,000-$15,000 used to setup the automated system could save the County millions of dollars. Mr. Fine stated that the greatest challenge is turnover within the workforce. He noted that the majority of the turnover staff are frontline and actually do most of the work for each of the cases. He stated that it takes approximately three years to develop the staff to full productivity, but they often leave before that for higher pay. Judge McMurry added that the employees within municipalities are getting paid more to do less. Mr. Fine stated that the cost each time an employee terminates their employment is significant, nearly $40,000.00 for each employee, and this is due to loss of investment and staff efficiency. Supervisor Hickman asked what happens if a new Justice of the Peace goes through training but they still are not doing well. There was discussion regarding training and personnel challenges. Chairman Barney suggested that accountability and performance measures be added and made public. Judge McMurry also suggested that court video be available to the public. Mr. Fine briefly highlighted opportunities and future initiatives. He noted the following budget priorities: reinstate funding for technology; use JCEF funding for enhancement instead of routine operations; provide funding for training and development; fund a comprehensive compensation classification study to move people up within their existing structure through merit raises. Supervisor Kunasek asked if there was a comprehensive list used for court fees. Mr. Fine responded that the two sources used are the County Code and State statute and said a comprehensive fee study should be devised to find the actual cost of each court action and fine. He stated that he would like to get the study done by the end of the fiscal year. County Attorney’s Office County Attorney, Bill Montgomery, and Mark Faull, Chief Deputy County Attorney, reviewed the accomplishments and FY 2016 Budget concerns. Mr. Montgomery noted several 2014 accomplishments. He said that the new civil services division structure continues to permit flexibility for internal reallocation of resources to meet shifts and demands of staff where they are needed most. He stated that the geographical realignment of the MCAO Sex Crimes Bureaus and Community Based Prosecution Division strengthens working relationships with law enforcement, community partners, and effectively targets specific offender populations. He stated that attorneys are therefore familiar with the needs of an area and can track crimes within the area. Mr. Montgomery explained the community-based prosecution coverage map. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 4 of 7 Mr. Montgomery informed the Board of the following 2014 programs regarding targeted outreach to school-aged youth: Friday Night Football Patrol drug-free pledges; Bullying Prevention and Positive Youth Development program; Safe Kids Summer safety tents at water parks and swimming pools; Red Ribbon Drug Prevention programs. Supervisor Chucri asked if Mr. Montgomery started the football drug free program and what the cost was. Mr. Montgomery responded that he started the program four years ago with an approximate cost of $12,000.00. Mr. Montgomery explained the details of the program and said that schools are interested in getting involved. Mr. Montgomery continued the presentation, noting the following 2014 department accomplishments and awards: Selected by Association of Prosecuting Attorneys (APA) as a “High Performance Prosecution Agency Model Site”; Hermes Creative Award by the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals; Award of Excellence from the City-County Communications and Marketing Association for the 2013 Courthouse Dog Calendar; Deputy County Attorneys, Jason Kalish and Mike Denney, were named Arizona Felony Prosecutors of the Year by the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council (APAAC); Deputy County Attorney, Jordyn Raimondo, received APPAAC’s Rising Star Prosecutor of the Year award; Prosecutors invited regularly to train on a national level and frequently asked to consult other agencies; Participation in a pilot project with the New York Prosecutors Training Institute by providing expert testimony videos and training material for prosecutors across the U.S.; Cold Case Detectives received Grand Jury indictments on five cold cases; Paperless initiatives: Ongoing transition to ProsecutorbyKarpel case management system; E-filing capabilities have been expanded; Use of high speed and desk scanners; Use of Microsoft SurfacePro 3 tablets as part of pilot program; Implementation of electronic transmittal system to send documents to Adult Probation; Electronic discovery to Public Defender’s Office. Technology Accomplishments: Acceptance of credit cards for public records requests and discovery material payments; Expanded use of smart phone capabilities; Dual monitors for employees to allow for multi-tasking; Enhanced trial support capabilities providing forensic models and exhibits. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 5 of 7 Challenges for the office: Increase in Class 2 and 3 felony submittals and filings since 2012 working with partners; The increase in serious cases have resulted in an increase in bench and jury trials with 555 trials in FY 2012 compared to 730 trials in FY 2014; Higher caseloads-trend is looking upward; More time to disposition-defendants are being offered prison time because they are violent offenders or have extensive criminal history so the community is safeguarded by career criminals by their incarceration. Community reentry programs are being advocated for rehabilitation and to reduce recidivism for those prisoners being released. He noted the typical extent of felony cases and the possible outcomes; Charging backlog-more submittals create less time for prosecutors to handle in reviewing for charges; Prosecutors are undergoing more stress. Supervisor Rogers asked what the backlog is and asked if the vacancies are hindering the cases. Mr. Montgomery responded that there are thousands of backlog cases and the vacancies are not hindering as much as in the past, but the problem remains that the level of experience needed for prosecuting and charging is greater than the average experience of the majority of the attorneys. He noted that there is normally only one to three attorneys out of every 10 that can conduct the charging review and it will take time before the newer prosecutors will be able to take part in the charging review process. Supervisor Rogers asked if there is a specific time frame for newer prosecutors to take part in the charging review process. Mr. Montgomery responded that it could be anywhere between three to five years before prosecutors have enough trial and general office experience. Chairman Barney noted that Mr. Montgomery has been focused on managing attrition with the office being a training ground to new prosecutors. Additional Challenges: Increase in officer body camera use has brought more time that prosecutors need to review for charging purposes. Sensitive victim information must be redacted or protected. Increased expectations for prosecutors to be more thorough with front-end research of defendants and discovery redaction responsibilities. Advocate contacts with victims by telephone and walk-ins have increased by 54% from 2012 to 2014. As Ethics Rule 3.8 was adopted and added, increased post-conviction responsibilities for prosecutors occurred. There is a unique prosecutor demographic where 50 percent of the prosecutors joined the office after he became County Attorney and the majority of them are 35 years old or younger. Attorney turnover is down but involuntary terminations are up due to increased accountability and stringent training expectations. The most qualified attorney candidates come around only twice a year. Threats towards prosecutors are increasing. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 6 of 7 Mr. Montgomery noted the following responses to challenges: Focused coordination and cooperation with other criminal justice stake holders. Expanded diversion-limit cases going through Justice System. Community based prosecution-ensures better resolution on cases. Filling positions as fast as possible-with qualified candidates. Intensive background/interview process-references are being checked. Robust training program and continuing education for all staff. Additional support resources. Enhanced post-conviction processes to ensure compliance with Ethics Rule 3.8. Mr. Montgomery spoke regarding a reliable compensation plan to provide consistent increases to reward performance that is not longevity based. He stated that the approximate cost to recruit and train a new prosecutor is $37,000.00. He asked for a 2.5% increase in personnel budget to use within the agency. Supervisor Kunasek asked if the zero-based budget would be on-going. Chairman Barney stated that it would be every three to five years for an agency. Supervisor Kunasek asked about Mr. Montgomery’s ability to reallocate positions within the department to maximize his resources. Mr. Montgomery responded that the department is undergoing reallocations to have baselines for positions, and continues to work with budget staff and utilizes current resources within the department to accommodate the current needs. Mr. Faull noted examples of how projections in trends and current data are being used to determine the budget. Supervisor Hickman asked if the geographic coverage breakdown has helped the Office. Mr. Montgomery responded that it has enhanced working relations with Police Departments because prosecutors are able to visit them within their precinct. It has provided information and feedback within the communities being served, and crime trends can now be tracked. Supervisor Rogers asked about the gender and ethnicity breakdown for applicants. Mr. Montgomery noted that he did not have the information, but he would get it for her. Conversation ensued regarding private and public sector applicants and expectations. County Assessor Paul Peterson, Assessor and Tim Boncoskey, Chief Deputy Assessor presented for the Maricopa County Assessor’s office. Mr. Peterson presented the benchmarks of the top nine counties in the Nation by population. He stated that the benchmarks show that the Assessor’s office does more with less. He noted the following FY 2016 issues: Employee performance pay – hire individuals that will stay to avoid high turnover Chairman Barney noted that the department contains a tenured employee base and with the additional technology changes there should be positive personnel changes. Supervisor Kunasek asked for an explanation of the 32% “other” designation in the turnover report. Mr. Boncoskey explained that it pertains to the responses not typically given in the exit interview, such as job relocation and spousal employment. Mr. Peterson noted that the turnover within the department is still high due to the pay structure and stated that because of the tenured staff there are challenges that lay ahead for the department. Chairman Barney noted that the dynamics of the department are changing. Informal Meeting Minutes Monday, December 08, 2014 Page 7 of 7 Mr. Peterson continued the presentation noting the following FY 2016 issues: Proposed legislation – single year property valuation and taxation calendar in 2018; Computer Aided Mass Appraisal system (Project MARS) funding in Capital Plan for Year Three; Canvass funding in base budget – reprioritizing the department due to increases in new construction to be sure changes are done in a timely manner. Supervisor Kunasek asked why New York City had a higher budgeted amount per parcel. Mr. Boncoskey responded that the appraisal and support staff may not have been counted, and noted the reason why they were included was because they utilize the same canvass system that is being proposed. Supervisor Kunasek asked if the department is auditing their own rolls. Mr. Boncoskey responded that the department is auditing their own rolls from the desktop. Mr. Peterson added that as the department goes through system changes, the point is to have an equitable roll and to notify the homeowners about the billing changes providing an explanation. 2. EXECUTIVE SESSION Vote to convene in Executive Session to consider items on the Executive Agenda dated December 8, 2014, for Board of Supervisors and relevant Special Districts pursuant to statutory authority listed for each item. Motion to approve by Supervisor Chucri, seconded by Supervisor Hickman Ayes: Barney, Chucri, Kunasek, Hickman, Rogers MEETING ADJOURNED There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned. ________________________________ Denny Barney, Chairman of the Board ATTEST: _____________________________ Fran McCarroll, Clerk of the Board