04-17-1995 - Laserfiche WebLink

Comm. Minutes--April 17, 1995 1322 18. NORTH DAKOTA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, Balance of 1995 dues to be paid Allen Ruzicka, President of the North Dakota Association of Counties (NDACo), and Mark Johnson, Executive Director of NDACo, were present to discuss 1995 association dues. Mr. Johnson distributed information to each Commissioner on the 1995 NDACo operating budget, details of special grants, and historical dues summary. Among other information, the hand-out lists membership benefits to counties, as well as a listing of the North Dakota Cooperative for Automation and Technology (NDCAT) activities and services. The NDACo dues structure was discussed at the Executive Committee meeting held March 15, 1995, and Mr. Johnson said a separate committee will be appointed by Mr. Ruzicka to look at the issue of dis- proportionate growth in dues as it may relate to growth counties versus non-growth counties. Hopefully, at the annual convention to be held in Grand Forks in October, there will be some kind of understanding or a compromise among all members of the association as to how dues should be structured in the future, Mr. Johnson said. Mr. Ness said smaller counties are paying $1,000 per year in dues, and Cass County is being asked to pay over $20,000 for 1995, however, Cass County's representation is not proportional to that amount. In addition to the dollar amount, another concern is the timing of the request for payment of dues. Mrs. Schneider suggested a 3-5 year plan so that counties would know well in advance of the budget cycle what the association dues will be for the next year. Mr. Eckert said he understands there was an increase in total dues for all counties of 71.9%, and Mr. Johnson said the total cumulative dues increase has been 71% since 1988. The cumulative effect of the dues increase for Cass County has been 56.9%, less than the overall state- wide cumulative average. The goal is to have the smaller counties pay 70% of the cost of the organization, and the four larger counties pay the remaining 30%, according to Mr. Johnson. Mrs. Toussaint is concerned that the association may not always represent what is best for Cass County when faced with making a decision concerning all counties in the State of North Dakota. Mr. Wieland said further discussion is necessary on the time when dues are set as opposed to the time when counties establish their budgets. Also, he hopes the chairman of the Cass County Board of Commissioners will be appointed to the committee to study the dues structure. MOTION, passed Mr. Wieland moved and Mr. Eckert seconded to pay the balance of 1995 dues to the North Dakota Association of Counties, that Cass County be represented on the NDACo committee to review dues structure, and that Cass County recommends to the NDACo to consider long-range planning to establish dues over a longer time frame. At the call for the question and on roll call vote, the motion carried with three members voting "Aye", Mrs. Toussaint and Mr. Ness opposing. Mrs. Toussaint said she opposed the motion because she feels the balance of dues should be what Cass County budgeted instead of the amount requested by the association after budgets were established, and she felt a