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SO SET.WE'LL CALL TO ORDER THIS, UH, REGULAR COMMITTEE MEETING OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, WE ARE ALL HERE, EXCEPT FOR ANNE, WHO IS ON HER WAY.
UH, THE AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING WAS POSTED ACCURATELY AND, UM, UH, WE WILL RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE OF ALL TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND REPUBLIC REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DID ANYONE HAVE ANY, UH, CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE, UH, MINUTES? NONE.
SEEING NONE, WE WILL CONSIDER THOSE APPROVED.
UM, OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM WILL BE THE FAMILY COURT SERVICES TRANSITION.
UM, AND I HAVE LIKE A WEIRD VOICE TONIGHT, SO IF YOU CAN'T HEAR ME, LET ME KNOW.
UM, SO, UM, THERE'S A REPORT HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR FAMILY COURT SERVICES, UM, REVIEW AND DEPARTMENT REALIGNMENT, UM, BASED ON SOME, UH, EOS INITIATIVE THAT WE WORKED ON IN 2024.
I AM GONNA ASK CORAL KLEIN, OUR CHILDREN FAMILIES DIVISION MANAGER TO COME UP AND SORT OF GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW, UM, SO WE CAN JUST TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ABOUT, UM, THIS CHANGE IN THIS PROCESS.
UM, THE, PUT YOUR MIC UP MORE.
UM, THE, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT WAS IN YOUR PACKET IS REALLY SORT OF THE BRASS TACKS OF, UH, THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT OVERVIEW, UM, OF THE LAST, UM, COUPLE OF YEARS AND LOOKING AT THIS PROCESS, UM, JUST A BIT OF A REMINDER, FAMILY COURT SERVICES HAS REALLY BEEN A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN, UH, FAMILY COURT SERVICES, SO WASHINGTON COUNTY FAMILY COURT, AND ALSO, UM, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SPECIFICALLY TO, UM, CONDUCTING CUSTODY AND PLACEMENT EVALUATIONS.
UM, WE HAD TWO, ONE FULL, UH, ONE FTE, BUT IT WAS DIVIDED UP BETWEEN TWO FULL-TIME, UM, SENIOR SOCIAL WORKERS WHO HAD HALF A JUVENILE CASELOAD AND HALF A FAMILY COURT CASELOAD SPECIFIC TO DO THESE STUDIES.
UM, WE ESTABLISHED THIS AS AN EOS GOAL, AS WE SAW SORT OF REAL AND PERCEIVED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
UM, MORE FAMILIES RECEIVING SERVICES THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THROUGH YOUTH JUSTICE SERVICES OR THROUGH, UM, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
UH, A LOT OF, UM, I WOULD SAY, UH, CONSUMER OPINIONS AROUND CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND, AND WORKERS AND HAVING ALL OF THE SERVICES RUN THROUGH, UM, THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, EVEN THOUGH THESE TWO PARTICULAR SENIOR SOCIAL WORKERS WERE GENERALLY OUTSIDE OF THE SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WERE PROVIDING, UM, SERVICES TO THESE INDIVIDUALS, WE TRIED TO BE VERY, UH, PLANFUL AROUND, UH, CASE ASSIGNMENT IN THAT WAY.
UM, WE ALSO SAW INCREASES, UM, IN PERSONNEL AND DEPARTMENT EXPENSES.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE FULL-TIME FTE, UH, WITH A 50 50 SPLIT, AND IT REALLY MOVED INTO MORE OF AN 80 20 SPLIT BETWEEN THESE WORKERS, WHICH CREATED ADDITIONAL, UM, I WOULD SAY CASE ASSIGNMENT AND WORKLOAD ISSUES IN OUR JUVENILE UNIT.
UM, ALSO WE HAD BEEN AWARE, UM, THAT OTHER COUNTY FAMILY COURT SERVICES LIVED OUTSIDE THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION, LIVED OUTSIDE OF HUMAN SERVICES.
UM, SO WE REALLY WANTED TO DIG IN TO SEE IF OUR MODEL, UM, WAS ALIGNED WITH BEST PRACTICE AND IF WE WERE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES MOST EFFICIENTLY TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, THAT WE COULD.
SO WE REVIEWED, UM, THE MODELS OF SIX SIMILARLY SIZED COUNTIES, UM, AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION ESSENTIALLY THAT IN ADDITION TO OUR CONCERNS, WHICH WAS THESE, UH, CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR, OR PEOPLE THAT WERE RECEIVING MULTIPLE, UM, SERVICES FROM MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND THE INCREASE IN DEPARTMENT, UM, TIME AND EXPENSES, UM, THAT ALSO OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE WAS OUTDATED, UM, OF THESE, UH, ADDITIONAL SIX SIMILARLY SIZED COUNTIES, THEIR, UM, FAMILY COURT SERVICES IN THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION LIVED OUTSIDE OF, LIVED OUTSIDE OF HUMAN SERVICES AND REALLY LIVED WITHIN THE COURT.
UM, WE PRESENTED, UM, THESE FINDINGS TO COMMISSIONER MA AND THE PRESIDING JUDGE, UM, OF COURSE SAN GIOV.
AND, UM, SORT OF MADE A PITCH, UH, ABOUT OUR CONCERNS, WHAT WE SAW, OUR ASSESSMENT, UH, THE INFORMATION WE GATHERED ABOUT THESE COUNTIES.
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UM, AND AGAIN, REALLY SORT OF GAVE A PITCH TO, TO HAVE THESE SERVICES LIVE OUTSIDE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND LIVE WITH THE COURT.UM, SORT OF THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT ONE VERY, WELL, IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.
I THINK IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE FAMILY COURT SERVICES AS A WHOLE AND HOW THESE EVALUATIONS WERE BEING PRO PROVIDED AND ALSO WHERE THEY LIVED IN THE PROCESS OF THE FAMILY COURT, UM, COURT PROCESS.
THAT'S REALLY NOT MY WHEELHOUSE, BUT HOW I KIND OF LIKE LIVED IN CONJUNCTION TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THAT TYPE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING.
UM, ONE OF OUR SENIOR SOCIAL WORKERS, UH, WHO HAS BEEN DOING THIS WORK FOR 30 YEARS, SHE'S BEEN DOING COURT STUDIES AND JUVENILE WORK FOR THAT LONG, UM, WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN, UH, ESTABLISHING THE PROGRAM AND ITS NEW STRUCTURE, AND HAS BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH COMMISSIONER MA AND JUDGE GEOFF TO SORT OF LOOK AT THAT, UH, AND FIGURE OUT HOW THAT COULD BEST MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SO AS YOUR PACKET SAYS, WE ARE, UH, ON TRACK REALLY TO TRANSITION THOSE SERVICES AS OF JANUARY 1ST, WE'RE TRYING TO, UM, JUST GET THE LOGISTICAL PIECES ALIGNED.
UM, BUT, UM, QUITE HONESTLY, UM, IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED BY THE COURT.
UH, WE HAD A LOT OF REALLY GREAT, UH, IN DEPTH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE FROM A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE FROM A CLIENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO, UM, YEAH, THAT IS ABOUT THE GIST.
SO WE JUST, UH, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, PRIMARILY JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, UM, AND SEE IF YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CHANGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A BUDGETARY CHANGE THAT WE'RE MAKING.
UM, SO IT'S THE, THE FINANCES FOR THIS POSITION AND, UM, THE REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED IS GONNA BE MOVING OVER TO THE CLERK OF COURTS.
UM, AND THEN THIS, THE POSITION AUTHORITY, UM, AND SUPERVISION OF THIS PO POSITION IS MOVING OVER TO THE CLERK OF COURTS AS WELL.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE DONE THIS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, ALTHOUGH WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD A FORMAL CONVERSATION ABOUT IT THEN.
UM, BUT UH, BY THE TIME WE SORT OF GOT, UH, EVERYBODY ON BOARD AND TALKING ABOUT IT, IT, IT WAS TOO LATE TO PUT THIS IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO IT'S REALLY GONNA BE SORT OF A PAPERWORK ON, ON OUR END.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO BRING IT TO THE COMMITTEE AND SEE IF YOU HAD QUESTIONS, UM, OR CONCERNS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, SUPERVISOR BOSSERT? YES.
SO I'M GONNA ASK THAT WE ADD THIS, UH, ITEM ON THE JANUARY AGENDA WITH A CLOSED SESSION TO IT, SO WE CAN REVISIT SOME OF THIS AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO TALK ABOUT IN OPEN SESSION, UH, RELATING TO PERSONNEL AND OTHER SENSITIVE MATTERS.
BRAD HERE, DOES THAT SOUND REASONABLE? YEAH, THAT'S FINE WITH US.
WE WILL DO THAT, JULIE, AND I'LL MAKE SURE IT IS ON THE AGENDA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, SUPERVISOR? GALLES? UH, I, I'M NOT SURE IF, UH, SUPERVISOR BOSER IS BASED ON THE SUGGESTION FOR A CLOSED SESSION BASED UPON A RECOMMENDATIONS.
IT JUST CAUGHT MY EYE FUND ONE TO TWO FTE, BUT THE RECOMMENDATION IS ONLY SHIFTING ONE FTE, SO MAYBE THAT WILL BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
UM, IT'LL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
SO YEAH, SO IF NOT, THEN I GUESS MY QUESTION, AND IF THIS IS DEEMED APPROPRIATE IN THAT SESSION, SOMEONE INTERJECT, BUT IF, IS IT TWO FOLKS TODAY THAT ARE CURRENTLY DOING THAT UNDER HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES? SO IT'S ONE FTE, BUT IT IS SPLIT BETWEEN TWO STAFF PERSONS, UM, SO THAT THEY, UM, WE COULD STILL HAVE THEM WORKING ON YOUTH JUSTICE CASELOAD.
UM, SO, SO IT'S THE EQUIVALENT AGAIN OF ONE ONE FTE.
AND SO ONLY ONE FTE WILL WORK MOVE OVER TO THE COURTS, UM, SYS FAMILY COURT SYSTEM.
UM, THEY ARE ALSO WORKING ON, UH, WE'VE BEEN GIVING THEM FEEDBACK ON SORT OF THE, THE WORKLOAD AND SOME OF THE PROCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING WITHIN, UM, THE FAMILY COURT SYSTEM.
AND THEY ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON SOME EFFICIENCIES, UM, IN HOPES THAT THE WORK, UM, LOAD OR THE WORK PRODUCT WILL REDUCE, UM, QUITE A BIT.
AND SO AT THIS POINT WE'RE PROJECTING, UM, JUST A NEED FOR ONE FULL-TIME PERSON TO DO THAT WORK AND WE WOULD RETAIN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PERSON WHO WAS DOING HALF-TIME WORK WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO THERE'S NO CREATION OF NEW POSITIONS IN THIS.
UM, AND I THINK IF THERE, THE, THE COURT, UH, CLERK OF COURTS WOULD HAVE TO SORT OF ASCERTAIN OVER THE NEXT BIENNIUM, UM, WHAT THE WORKLOAD IS AND IF THEY THOUGHT THAT THERE WOULD NEED TO BE MORE THAN A 1.0 FTE REQUEST THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
SO WE'RE TRANSFERRING ONE FTE IN THE BUDGET OVER TO CLERK OF COURTS, AND THEY WILL ASSUME WHAT TWO HALFTIME OR PART-TIME TWO
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ONE FTE EQUIVALENT WE'RE, WE'RE DOING, THAT SINGULAR PERSON WILL BE HANDLING ALL THAT.UM, SO BASED UPON CORAL YOUR REVIEW, THAT WILL BE SUFFICIENT BECAUSE MS. DRISCOLL, YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT THE COURT MIGHT DO SOME ASSESSMENT.
DO WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE CASELOAD WILL INCREASE AND THEREFORE THERE WOULD BE NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL EITHER FULL OR PARTIAL FTE? UM, I, I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING THE CASES INCREASE EVERY YEAR, UM, AND THE BURDEN HAS JUST BEEN ON OUR DEPARTMENT TO ABSORB THAT.
AND I THINK IN THIS PROCESS IT SEPARATES IT OUT SO THEY CAN REALLY DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A FULL-TIME PERSON WORKING ON THESE CASES, THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR FULL JOB, UM, WHAT CAN REALLY GET ACCOMPLISHED, HOW CAN THEY CREATE ANY EFFICIENCIES IF APPLICABLE.
AND THEN, UM, DETERMINE IF THERE IS MORE NEED.
BECAUSE AS I SAID, WE'VE JUST BEEN ABSORBING THE WORK WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT, SO PRESUMABLY THE CLERK OF COURT IS AWARE OF THE CASELOAD AND THE POTENTIAL INCREASE.
SO IF THE BIENNIUM, THEIR BIENNIUM BUDGET WOULD ULTIMATELY IMPACT THE, THE LARGER BOARD AT SOME POINT.
I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS IF WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THERE'S GONNA BE NEED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL STAFF, UH, THAT'S NOW GONNA BE UNDER THE CLERK OF COURT TO DETERMINE THAT AND THEN GO TO THE BOARD FOR FUNDING.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, ONTO OUR NEXT, YOU HAVE TO STAY UP THERE.
OH, YOU HAVE TO STAY UP THERE.
UH, RIVER BEND UPDATE IS THE NEXT ITEM.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING IN YOUR PACKET.
I JUST WANTED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD THIS ON OUR AGENDA FOR THE LAST, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AND JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
UM, THE, THE END OF SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AT U AT, UH, RIVER BEND PLACE WAS, UH, NOVEMBER 30TH.
SO AS OF NOVEMBER 30TH, THERE ARE NO LONGER ANY CHILDREN PLACE IN THE RIVER BEND FACILITY.
UM, THE CONTRACT WITH NORRIS, YOU KNOW, IS THROUGH THE END OF THIS YEAR AS THEY SORT OF CLOSE OUT, UM, THEIR, THEIR PROGRAM AND THEIR PROCESS.
UM, WE HAVE A FORMAL CONTRACT IN PLACE.
IT WAS WITH WAUKESHA COUNTY FOR TWO SHELTER BEDS.
UM, SO THAT HAS, THAT HAS, UM, GONE THROUGH.
UM, UH, WE HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE WHY THAT WON'T BE, UM, SUFFICIENT AND SUCCESSFUL.
UM, WE'RE WORKING WITH NORRIS RIGHT NOW ON SORT OF, UM, NEGOTIATING, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN THE BUILDING IS THEIRS AND WHAT'S OURS.
UM, AND WHAT WE, WHEN WE FINISH WITH THAT, THEY'LL BE FORMALLY MOVED OUT, PROBABLY LIKELY BEFORE THE, THE HOLIDAY TIME.
AND THEN OUR FACILITY DEPARTMENT WILL TAKE OVER THAT BUILDING, UM, AND MANAGE IT AS A VACANT BUILDING, UM, GET IT CLEANED AND THAT SORT OF THING.
IT HAS BEEN LISTED WITH EMMA REALTY.
WE DID HAVE ONE INTERESTED PARTY.
UM, THEY DID A WALKTHROUGH ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE VERY EXCITED.
IT WAS A, UM, A ASSISTED LIVING, UM, ORGANIZATION.
THEY WERE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE BUILDING.
THEY WERE VERY EXCITED, EXCITED ABOUT THE LOCATION, BUT APPARENTLY THE ROOMS ARE TOO SMALL FOR REGULATION, UM, FOR WHAT THEY NEED.
AND THEY THOUGHT THAT THE, UM, THE RENOVATIONS WOULD BE TOO COSTLY.
AND I BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE AS TIME GOES ON, WE MIGHT HAVE TO HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION, UM, AROUND, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO WITH THAT BUILDING AND HOW WE MAKE IT MARKETABLE TO, YOU KNOW, UM, ORGANIZATION THAT WILL BE INTERESTED IN IT.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF PROPERTY AND, YOU KNOW, A BUTTS UP AGAINST THE RIVER.
UM, THE BUILDING ITSELF IS IN, IN GREAT CONDITION, EVEN THOUGH I THINK IT WAS BUILT IN THE NINETIES.
UM, ALTHOUGH I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'RE SAYING THAT THAT'S OLD
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THAT PROCESS, JUST TO EXPAND ON THAT, UH, BIT.
JULIE, ARE YOU REFERRING TO LIKE THE ACTUAL SIZE OF THE RESIDENTIAL ROOM THAT THE ASSISTED LIVING WOULD BE IN VERSUS WHAT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHILDREN TO BE? CORRECT.
THEY NEED THEM TO BE A LITTLE BIT BIGGER AND TEARING A WALL DOWN BETWEEN EVERY OTHER ROOM AND MAKING 'EM LARGER THEY THOUGHT WAS BEYOND THEIR, YEAH.
THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE TOO COSTLY FOR THEM.
ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU FOR THE, OH, SORRY ABOUT, UM, DO YOU HAVE, IS THERE ANYTHING WITH ZONING ON IT? IS IT ONLY LIKE FOR, UM, POTENTIAL HIRES? IS THAT, UH, IT'S CURRENTLY, UH, ZONED AS INSTITUTIONAL? UM, WHEN EMER HAS SPOKEN TO THE CITY OF WEST BEND, UM, THEY HAD GIVEN SOME INDICATION THAT THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN SOME REZONING TO LIKE A
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MULTIFAMILY.UM, SO THERE IS, THERE IS THOSE TWO OPTIONS.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE.
OUR NEXT ITEM IS THE REPORT ON THE CLTS PROGRAM, CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROGRAM.
YEAH, SO I'M, I AM, UH, COMING HERE TODAY TO GIVE YOU SOME GOOD NEWS.
I THINK, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON THE CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, AND, UM, AS YOU MAY ALSO RECALL THIS YEAR, WE WENT INTO A CORRECTIVE ACTION WITH THE STATE OF WISCONSIN, UH, BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS ON OUR WAIT LIST.
UM, AND, UM, WE DEPLOYED A STRATEGY WHERE WE CONTRACTED WITH A COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION, UM, SO THAT WE COULD JUST EASILY HIRE, UM, STAFF, UM, SO WE CAN SORT OF GET TO LIKE WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE RIGHT, UH, NUMBER OF STAFF, UM, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY START IMPACTING THIS WAIT LIST.
UM, HOWEVER, WE ALSO DID PUT IN OUR, UH, 26, 27 BIENNIUM BUDGET, THOSE POSITIONS FOR THOSE STAFF TO MOVE OVER TO BE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
SO IN TOTAL THIS YEAR, UM, WE ENDED UP HIRING FIVE, UM, CASE MANAGERS.
UM, THOSE FIVE POSITIONS ARE IN OUR BUDGET.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT RIGHT AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS SORT OF THE RIGHT MIX OF STAFF BECAUSE AS YOU LOOK AT THIS DATA, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR WAIT LIST HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, SINCE JANUARY OF, UH, 2025.
UM, AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND PAGE OF THE REPORT, UM, YOU CAN SORT OF SEE THE DASHBOARD THAT THE STATE PROVIDES FOR, UM, WASHINGTON COUNTY.
WE'RE ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND.
I DON'T HAVE THE NOVEMBER DATA YET.
UM, SO THIS IS THROUGH OCTOBER.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE FOR THE AVERAGE DAYS OF CHILDREN WAITING, UM, FROM REFERRAL TO BEING ENROLLED, THEIR BENCHMARK IS 90 DAYS AND WE ARE AT 99, WHEREAS CONVERSELY, WE HAD A HIGH OF, UH, 306 BACK IN FEBRUARY.
UM, SO, UH, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED, UM, TO SEE THIS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD AND AGAIN, REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT MAGIC NUMBER IS OF THE NUMBER OF STAFF, YOU KNOW, TO THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE ON THE WAIT LIST AND THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE, BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT SORT OF FLUCTUATES AT ALL TIMES BECAUSE YOU HAVE KIDS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES FAMILIES DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT THE PROGRAM OR THEY'RE AGING OUTTA THE PROGRAM, AND THEN YOU'RE ENROLLING KIDS.
AND SO THE, THE STATE DOESN'T EVER THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE A ZERO WAIT LIST.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'D BE SUPER GREAT, UM, BUT IT'S REALLY MORE AROUND THIS 90 DAY BENCHMARK, UM, THAT WE'RE NOT KEEPING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WAITING FOR SERVICES.
UM, SO I THOUGHT THIS WAS A REALLY GREAT, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THIS REALLY GREAT REPORT FOR YOU AS A GOOD WAY TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR.
UM, I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AT THIS COMMITTEE, UM, AND, AND HELPING TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
I KNOW WE DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY, UM, IN WASHINGTON COUNTY ADDING STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT, THAT THOSE STAFF ARE ACTUALLY, UM, THEIR PRODUCTIVITY IS, IS BRINGING IN THEIR REVENUE TO PAY FOR THEIR POSITIONS.
AND SO, UH, REALLY PROUD OF THIS TEAM AND REALLY PLEASED, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE AT A PLACE OF NOT ONLY COMPLIANCE, BUT AT A PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE GETTING SERVICE IN A, IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SUPERVISOR GALLES, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
UH, MS. DRISCOLL, ON YOUR LAST COMMENT ABOUT THAT STAFFING LEVEL, I KNOW WHEN WE WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION THAT FIVE WAS DETERMINED GOOD TO MEET CURRENT AND POTENTIAL FLUCTUATION IN CASELOAD AS WELL AS TO ALLOW, UM, NEW HIRES TO GET ACCLIMATED A A A ADJUSTED ARE PROJECTIONS ARE PROJECTIONS FOR CASELOADS.
IS STAFFING STILL SUFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS BIENNIUM BASED UPON EITHER PAST OR POTENTIAL IT? SO WE'RE IN A GOOD PLACE THERE, THERE.
UM, WE, OUR PROJECTION, I WOULD SAY IS GOOD FOR SIX TO NINE MONTHS.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE GOOD AROUND WHERE WE'RE SEEING, UM, LIKE I SAID, DISENROLLMENT, UM, AGING OUT AND THEN NEW CASES COMING IN.
UM, I, I KNOW THAT NOT ALL THE STAFF ARE AT A FULL CASELOAD.
UM, SO WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT TOPPED OUT AS WELL.
UM, SO I CAN'T SAY THAT WE WOULDN'T, UM, HAVE TO COME FORWARD TO THIS COMMITTEE IN THE NEXT YEAR FOR ANOTHER POSITION OR TWO POSITIONS.
UM, BUT WE KIND OF WANNA WAIT AND SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHERE, BECAUSE IT IS, IT'S ALWAYS A MOVING TARGET AND AS LONG AS WE CAN CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, ENROLL KIDS IN A TIMELY FASHION, UM, YOU KNOW, I FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THAT.
YOU, ANYONE ELSE? SUPERVISOR BUSER.
SO JUST REAL QUICK, AND MAYBE YOU SAID THIS AND I MISSED IT, UM, BUT WITH FUNDING THIS, ALL OF THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE GRANTS WE RECEIVED,
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BUT YOU SAID SOME OF THE CASEWORKERS ARE NOT TAPPED OUT.ARE WE STILL GETTING ENOUGH FUNDING THAT WE'RE COVERING OUR COSTS? YES.
SO, UM, WE PUT INTO OUR, UM, SO EVERY YEAR WE DO A RATE SETTING, UM, WITH THE STATE.
AND IT'S BASED ON WHAT OUR ACTUAL COSTS ARE WITH SOME, SOME, SOME PROJECTION AROUND.
UM, WE KNOW THAT IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, SO MANY MONTHS TO BECOME FULLY CASELOAD.
AND I THINK OUR, OUR MOST RECENT HIRE WAS PROBABLY LIKE IN AUGUST.
UM, AND SO THAT RATE THAT WE SET WITH THE STATE, IT'S PRETTY HIGH.
UM, AND SO, UM, AND THEN WE, WE FOCUS ON STAFF PRODUCTIVITY, BUT THERE'S ALSO A RECONCILIATION PROCESS THAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM PER THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IS TO PAY FOR ITSELF.
AND SO LAST YEAR WE DID HAVE A RECONCILIATION PROCESS WHERE WE DID GET AN ADDITIONAL LIKE $300,000.
UM, 'CAUSE THERE'S AN ADMIN FEE THAT, UM, YOU'RE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR, BUT YOU'RE NOT.
BUT THEY DON'T GIVE IT TO YOU UPFRONT.
YOU HAVE TO DO THE RECONCILIATION OF WHAT YOUR REAL EXPENSES WERE.
UM, SO THAT THEY COULD SAY, OKAY, HERE WERE YOUR COSTS.
HERE'S WHAT YOU, YOU DRAW DRAWN DOWN FROM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MEDICAID REVENUE.
AND THEN MAYBE HERE WAS YOUR, UH, EITHER YOUR DEFICIT.
THERE COULD BE A TIME WE COULD PAY HALF TO PAY MONEY BACK IF FOR SOME REASON WE WERE OVER BILLING.
UM, BUT THERE IS THAT PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FULL, IT DOES FULLY FUND ITSELF.
IT'S BEEN A WORK IN PROGRESS WITH THE STATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN, UH, IN AN EVOLUTION, I WOULD SAY IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.
AND I WOULD SAY AT THE END OF 2024 WAS THE FIRST TIME I FELT CONFIDENT THAT OUR COSTS WERE REALLY FULLY BEING REIMBURSED THROUGH THAT RECONCILIATION PROCESS.
ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO THE LEASING SPACE AT THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER.
SO, UM, THIS AGENDA ITEM I AM LOOKING FOR, UM, AN APPROVAL, UM, A FORMAL APPROVAL FROM THIS COMMITTEE, UM, BASED ON THE COUNTY ATTORNEY GAVE ME SOME ADVICE THAT, UM, IT IS THE COUNTY BOARD AND, AND, AND THIS BODY THAT GIVES US, UH, APPROVAL AND PERMISSION TO LEASE OUR SPACE.
UM, AND SO WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND I'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEY.
WE HAVE A, UH, ORGANIZATION THAT WE CONTRACT WITH CALLED SERONA RECOVERY.
UM, THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE PROVIDER WHO HAS BEEN, WHO HAS PROVIDED US THE CHILDREN'S LONG-TERM SUPPORT EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT ARE NOW MOVING INTO, UH, COUNTY EMPLOYEES IN, IN JANUARY.
THEY ALSO WERE AWARDED, UM, A CONTRACT WITH US FOR OUR YOUTH, UH, COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAM ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
UM, AND THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY AS WELL.
UM, OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM ORIGINALLY WAS FOR TWO STAFF PEOPLE.
THEY CURRENTLY HAVE SEVEN STAFF, UM, PROVIDING, UM, THE YOUTH CCS PROGRAM AND THEY'RE NOT THE ONLY PROVIDER.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PROVIDER AS WELL.
THEY ALSO, UM, HAVE A CONTRACT WITH US, UM, WITH THE CHILDREN FAMILIES DEPARTMENT FOR A YOUTH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CASE MANAGER.
UM, AND THEY, UM, FOR THEIR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT, THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA THAT WORK FOR SERONA.
UM, AND THEY DON'T, UH, REALLY HAVE A, UH, PERMANENT SPACE.
WE HAVE BEEN ALLOWING THEM TO HOTEL IN SOME OF OUR CUBICLE SPACE.
UM, BUT THAT COMES WITH COMPLICATIONS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR OWN PRINTERS 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T USE OURS.
THEY CAN'T USE, UH, OUR INTERNET.
THEY HAVE TO USE THE GUEST INTERNET.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET KICKED OUT OF, OUT OF GUEST INTERNET AND, AND THEY JUST REALLY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.
AND AS, BECAUSE OF THEIR GROWTH AND BECAUSE OF, UM, THEIR, THEIR NEED TO ALSO WANNA BE MEETING WITH FAMILIES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE SPACE TO BE MEETING WITH FAMILIES, UM, THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SPACE.
UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, UM, UB EXTENSION'S MOVING OUT OF THE PUBLIC AGENCY CENTER AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, I THINK THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE FORMALLY OUT ON MONDAY.
UM, AND SO THAT SPACE WILL BE VACANT.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN IN CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT THAT SPACE.
THEY'RE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT SPACE.
UM, AND, UM, AND SO WE'VE OFFERED THEM TO, OR WE'RE IN CONVERSATION, I SHOULD SAY, FOR THEM TO, UM, HAVE A LEASE WITH US FOR TWO YEARS AT THE SAME COST OF WHAT WE CHARGE UW EXTENSION.
UM, AND SO IT WOULD BE A TWO YEAR LEASE.
UM, WE WOULD, WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW IF THE COUNTY WANTED TO RENEW AND THEY WERE ALSO AMENABLE TO RENEW.
UM, PART OF, UH, THE REASON I, UM, ONLY RECOMMENDED A TWO YEAR LEASE IS BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW FAST, UM, CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO POTENTIALLY A NEW BUILDING FOR US AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S IN THE COUNTY'S BEST INTEREST TO THEN LEASE OUT SPACE IN A NEW BUILDING.
THOSE ARE DECISIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS BOARD NEEDS TO MAKE, UM, AND, AND OTHER FOLKS.
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THIS IS JUST ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL, UM, TO ENTER INTO THIS TWO YEAR LEASE WITH AN OPTION TO RENEW.I I LOOKED THEM UP AND UM, ON THEIR WEBSITE THEY ABOUT IS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE RECOVER RECOVERY.
THEN I LOOKED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND UNDER THEIR EXPLANATION OF WHO WE ARE, THEY STATE THEY HAVE ONE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE BACKED MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
WHEN I LOOK UP SOCIAL JUSTICE CONCEPTS, THEY INCLUDE WHITE PRIVILEGE, SYSTEMIC RACISM, OR THE IDEA THAT GENDER IS A CHOICE.
WHEN I LOOKED UP SOCIAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, THERE WERE QUITE A FEW.
I DIDN'T, I DID SEE SOME THAT ARE RED FLAGS FOR ME BECAUSE THEY PUSH RACISM AND GENDER IDEOLOGY, UM, SUCH AS ONE IS CALLED RAINBOW PUSH COALITION, ONE IS CALLED RACE FORWARD, ONE IS COLOR OF CHANGE AND ONE IS CALLED EQUAL RIGHTS ADVOCATES, WHICH SOUNDS GOOD, BUT IT PUSHES, UM, TRANS STUFF.
SO THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE PUSHING SOCIAL JUSTICE IDEOLOGY IS NOT BASED ON TRUTH AND CAN DEVALUE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I DON'T WANT THESE IDEOLOGIES PUSHED ON OUR COMMUNITY.
SO MY QUESTION IS, HOW DOES SERONA DEFINE SOCIAL JUSTICE? YEAH, GREAT.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, AND I DID LOOK AT THEIR WEBSITE AS WELL, UM, BECAUSE I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A LITTLE HEADS UP ON YOUR CONCERNS.
UM, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS IN THE SOCIAL WORK FIELD, SOCIAL JUSTICE IS NOT A TERMINOLOGY THAT IS NEW.
UM, AND I THINK IT HAS, UM, SOMETIMES A DIFFERENT MEANING, UM, THAN WHAT, UH, IT HAS MEANING NOWADAYS.
UM, AND SO MANY WAYS SOCIAL JUSTICE IN A SOCIAL, IN A NONPROFIT IS REALLY JUST SOCIAL SERVICES.
UM, I THINK SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY IN OUR FIELD, WE GET CAUGHT UP IN NEW AND COOL LINGO.
UM, BUT WHETHER WHAT THAT MEANS, UM, TO ONE PERSON VERSUS ANOTHER CAN BE, CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT.
UM, I THINK FROM THE, THE STANDPOINT OF SERONA, UM, THEIR DEFINITION OF SOCIAL JUSTICE REALLY, UM, EMPHASIZES SYSTEMIC CHANGE.
UM, MEANING THAT, UM, THEIR MAIN WORK IS ON RECOVERY, HOUSING AND HEALTH, AND THEY'RE MORE ABOUT, UM, INDIVIDUAL STABILIZATION AND SUPPORT AND NOT NECESSARILY BROADER POLICY ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY OR STRUCTURAL REFORM.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF A PIECE THAT I DID TALK WITH THEM AND THAT WAS A PIECE THAT, THAT THEY SHARED WITH ME.
UM, AND SO, SO I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT SOMETIMES CAN HAVE THAT THOSE WORDING OR THAT TERMINOLOGY CAN HAVE, UM, CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT MEANING FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
UM, BUT FOR THEM IT'S REALLY ABOUT, UM, WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE SORT OF THE OLD SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK CONSTRUCTS OF MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY'RE AT, PROVIDING THEM THE SERVICES AND THE TOOLS, UM, TO HELP THEM TO RECOVER, TO BECOME, UH, PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY, UM, TO SORT OF, UM, UH, ALLEVIATE OR STAY AWAY FROM CRISIS TYPES OF, UH, LIFESTYLES.
UM, SO, SO I'LL STOP THERE AND SEE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
THANKS FOR DIGGING IN, SUPERVISOR BOSER, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING UP THE ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE LINGO.
I KNOW IN HUMAN SERVICES EQUITY IS NOW A FASHIONABLE TERM, BUT IT TENDS TO MEAN SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT EQUITY MEANS IN SOME OF THE BROADER POLITICAL DISCUSSION.
SO I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.
REDEFINING WORDS THAT HAVE BEEN MEANT SOMETHING ELSE IN THE PAST, RIGHT? YEP.
ALRIGHT, SO WELL THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP AND, AND, UH, FOR YOUR QUESTION, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR COMMENTS? WHAT, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS JUST, UM, UH, LET JULIE KNOW THAT WE GIVE OUR APPROVAL, THIS ISN'T A FORMAL RESOLUTION, SO DOES SUPERVISOR GALS SORRY, MARK THE QUESTION.
SO A ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, SUPERVISOR BAILEY'S, UH, COMMENTS OR CONCERNS.
SO IF WE, IF WE AUTHORIZE AND YOU ENGAGE IN A CONTRACT, DOES A COUNTY, WHEN THIRD PARTIES COME IN, DO THEY HAVE TO ABIDE BY
[00:30:01]
A CODE OF CONDUCT, ET CETERA? AND COULD THAT CONTRACT BE VOIDED, SAY THEY, UM, HAVE TRANSGRESSIONS AGAINST THAT? YEAH, SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.I THINK I, ONE THING THAT'S SORT OF COMPLICATED IN OUR, UM, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, UM, AND IT IS A WAY THAT OUR COUNTY AND MANY OTHER COUNTIES, UM, UH, TRY TO DO BUSINESS, UM, ALSO WITHIN THE CONFINES OF, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO NOT GROW GOVERNMENT OR TRYING TO, UM, PROVIDE SERVICES MAYBE WITH FUNDING THAT'S, UM, NOT, UH, THAT'S FINITE, RIGHT? MAYBE GET A THREE YEAR GRANT AND MAYBE IT'S NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST FOR US TO HIRE AN EMPLOYEE.
AND SO, UH, WE CONTRACT FOR A LOT OF SERVICES, UM, AND OTHER COUNTIES DO AS WELL.
AND YOU CAN SEE WITH SERONA, THEY HAVE PART OF, ESSENTIALLY THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS, IS TO PROVIDE THIS, UM, THIS SERVICE TO COUNTIES TO HELP THEM PROVIDE THE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT THE COUNTY HAVING TO HIRE, YOU KNOW, ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND SO, UM, BUT WITH THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS LIKE OUR YOUTH CCS PROGRAM, WE STILL PROVIDE THE OVERSIGHT TO THE PROGRAM.
UM, SO, UH, IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT THEY STILL MEET WITH OUR SUPERVISORS AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO ADHERE TO THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE SET FORTH OF THE CCS PROGRAM.
AND CERTAINLY, UM, WITH ANY OF OUR CONTRACTS WE HAVE HAD, IF THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, WE HAVE HAD EMPLOYEE ISSUES, RIGHT? WE'VE HAD, UH, JUST LIKE WE'VE HAD OUR OWN EMPLOYEE ISSUES, UM, AND WHERE WE'VE HAD TO COME IN AND SAY, WE DON'T WANT THIS EMPLOYEE HERE ANY LONGER, OR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR US AND, AND SO WE NEED YOU TO LET THEM GO.
UM, AND THAT IS A REQUIREMENT OF, OF THEIR CONTRACT AND OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND SO, AND SO, JUST THE SAME IF AS THEY AS AN ORGANIZATION, RIGHT, WERE TO DO SOMETHING, UM, THAT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, EITHER DIDN'T, DIDN'T STAND UP TO OUR, UH, VALUES AS OUR COUNTY OR, YOU KNOW, WAS ILLEGAL.
UM, THEY, WE COULD THEN, UH, NULL AND VOID THEIR CONTRACT FOR, FOR THOSE REASONS AS WELL.
EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS CONTRACTORS, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL STAFF AND THEY HAVE TO BUY AND ADHERE TO THAT ORGANIZATION AT HIRING PARENT COMPANY.
SO I GET THAT, BUT YOU, YOU JUST, UH, REASSURED ME ABOUT A VOID PROVISION IN A CONTRACT AND I'M ASSUMING THE ATTORNEY WILL HAVE THAT SPELLED OUT SO THAT PRESUMABLY WOULD ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS THAT MIGHT COME UP.
AND IF I MIGHT ADD, UM, THE COUNTY ATTORNEY IS CRAFTING THIS PARTICULAR, I THINK MAYBE HE CRAFTS ALL THE LEASES, BUT HE IS CRAFTING THIS PARTICULAR LEASE.
UM, HE HAD SOME OF HIS OWN THINGS HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT PROTECTED THE COUNTY, UM, WITH THIS PARTICULAR LEASE.
AND I CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM, UM, TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING, EVEN A SPECIAL PROVISION THAT WOULD SORT OF ADDRESS, UH, SOME OF YOUR CODE OF CONDUCT, UM, CONCERNS.
SO IN GENERAL THEN, I'M LOOKING BACK TO THE COMMITTEE HERE TO JUST ENTER, UM, TO AGREE OR APPROVE WITH A THUMBS UP KIND OF CONSENSUS THAT, UM, UM, JULIE CAN PURSUE THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH SERRANO.
DOES EVERYONE AGREE? YES, SHE CAN PURSUE IT? YEAH.
YEAH, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GREAT, THANK YOU.
FOR YOUR EXPLANATIONS AND THE RESEARCH AND THE DIGGING IN AND DOING YOUR HOMEWORK.
UM, IF THERE AREN'T ANY MORE QUESTIONS THAT REALLY, SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, OKAY, JULIE, YOU DON'T NEED A FORMAL, UM, UH, UH, MOTION FROM US, DO YOU? NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
UH, SO THAT WOULD, UH, CONCLUDE OUR AGENDA ITEMS. OUR NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 28TH AND THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THAT TIED IN? YEAH, THAT, AND BRAD'S ALREADY LOOKING AT SOMETHING SO HE CAN.