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2020-08-24 Update regarding Combined User CommitteeUpdate regarding Combined User Committee August 24, 2020 2:40 p.m. Present: Commissioner Stamper, Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson, County Manager Erik Martin, Scott Smitherman, Becky Butler Guests: Dr. Lindsey Pollock Recorder: Rieva Lester Erik Martin said Combined User Committee members have requested a change for the ILA regarding the funding formula for law enforcement members. He said the group wants a future flat rate budget increase based on the rates for each law enforcement group’s prior year budget. Erik said previous arrangements were based on the average usage for the previous three years’ rates. He said fire officials wanted annual revisions, whereas the law enforcement members wanted rates readjusted once every three years due to wide-ranging changes. Erik noted that the proposed formula will be an ongoing issue as leadership changes occur at the user group level. Erik said the county needs to address the issue of accountability for use. Scott Smitherman said the User Committee members were presented with a 10 percent increase. The group instead negotiated a 7 percent increase with an understanding that the remaining 3 percent would be added in the 2021 budget. He and Erik noted that the proposed ILA does not include that remaining 3 percent. Scott said the ILA is set to expire at the end of 2021. Scott said fire pays for 30 percent of the 911 costs and that law pays for 70 percent. He said fire members pay based on 2018 use. Scott said 911 tries to maintain a two-month fund balance to cover staffing. He said part of the CUC was so the user groups would start paying for maintenance. He said those users are not paying the additional amounts, so the county lost out on $40,000 the previous year and have had to use fund balance to pay for recent maintenance / upgrades and upcoming maintenance / upgrades. The commissioners directed Erik and Scott to counter with straight-forward simple language that addresses usage, have it reviewed and then present it to the CUC. Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.