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Interim Calendar and BriefingNovember 12, 1997
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Co-Chairperson: Senator Steve King Co-Chairperson: Representative Libby Jacobs
Co-Chairperson: Charles Bruner
Co-Chairperson: Arlene Dayhoff
Co-Chairperson: Senator Sheldon Rittmer
Co-Chairperson: Representative Mona Martin
Co-Chairperson: Senator Derryl McLaren
Co-Chairperson: Representative David Millage
Co-Chairperson: Senator Andy McKean
Co-Chairperson: Representative Jeffrey Lamberti
Subcommittee Chairperson: Senator Maggie Tinsman
Co-Chairperson: Senator Maggie Tinsman
Co-Chairperson: Representative Hubert Houser
November 3, 1997; Third Monthly Meeting
Property Tax. Mr. Dick Stradley, Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance, provided the Commission with an overview of Iowa property taxation, including a discussion on real estate assessment and real estate classification.
Farmland Preservation. Mr. James Gulliford, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, discussed his participation in the implementation of Iowa Code chapter 352, relating to county land use inventories and county land preservation and use plans.
Annexation. Mr. Steve McCann, Administrator, City Development Board, and Ms. Christie Scase, Assistant Attorney General, discussed the function of the City Development Board. The City Development Board reviews all annexation petitions within urbanized areas for statutory requirements. Mr. McCann and Ms. Scase provided an overview of procedures for various types of voluntary and involuntary annexations in Iowa.
Finance Discussion. Representative Ed Fallon provided the Commission with an update regarding the possibility of financing work of the Commission. He stated any decisions on financing should be delayed until after the next Legislative Council meeting.
Highway Planning. Mr. Jim Bernau, farmer, discussed his negative experiences relating to the Iowa Department of Transportation's project of locating the Avenue of the Saints near Charles City. Mr. Dennis Tice, Iowa Department of Transportation, provided an overview of the Department's long range transportation plan. Mr. Tice discussed the Department's criteria for determining the location of new roads.
Attorney General's Office. Ms. Elizabeth Osenbaugh and Mr. Mike Smith, representing the Iowa Attorney General's Office, provided an overview of private property rights and takings issues including a discussion on development rights, eminent domain, conservation easements, and condemnations.
Cities. Mr. Dean Schade, representing the Iowa League of Cities, and Mr. Jim Halvorson, Planning Director, City of Cedar Rapids, provided cities' perspectives on urban sprawl and farmland preservation issues. Mr. Schade discussed the question of whether all urban growth is undesirable. Mr. Halvorson discussed the role of annexation, property taxes, water services, the responsibility of counties, and the impact of transitional land uses in city development.
Next Meeting. The next meeting of the commission is scheduled for December 1st at 10:00.
November 4, 1997; Second Meeting
Overview: The agenda focused on state policy objectives and interagency coordination between the Department of Human Services, the Iowa Department of Public Health, and the Department of Education. The Subcommittee also was presented with information regarding the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
Budgeting for Results. Ms Mary Reavely and Mr. Marv Weidner, Department of Management presented information regarding the state's effort to utilize a performance-based management system and state agency efforts to link state-identified policy objectives with budgeting known as "budgeting for results." They discussed the process used to develop state policy objectives for use by state departments in planning and budgeting, the Governor's state policy objectives which are those objectives prioritized by the Governor, the implementation schedule for budgeting for results, and the way in which all of the elements of the system align with one another.
Interagency Planning. Mr. Charles Palmer, Director, Department of Human Services; Mr. Chris Atchison, Director, Iowa Department of Public Health; and Mr. Ted Stilwill, Director, Department of Education presented information in a panel format regarding interagency planning, programming, and budgeting. The Directors discussed the various collaborative efforts that the agencies have undertaken to identify priorities in building strong families in Iowa; noted that each department is charged with providing specific enduring functions to the state as a whole and at times these must be weighed against issues and needs that arise based upon popular opinion; discussed the strategies of system redesign, community capacity building, early childhood development, and use of information technology in addressing the critical issues affecting families; discussed specific partnerships developed between the agencies; and provided historical examples of collaboration. Director Atchison also discussed the work of a group reviewing the various home visit programs and a proposal to coordinate these efforts at the local level.
Children's Health Insurance Program. Mr. Don Herman, Administrator, Division of Medical Services, Department of Human Services discussed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) which is an initiative established in the federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997 which added a new Title XXI to the Social Security Act to provide health care coverage to certain uninsured, low income children. Federal funding is provided in exchange for a state match. Mr. Herman reviewed the general requirements of the program, discussed the working of the SCHIP Work Group and the SCHIP Task Force, and noted that future actions include presenting recommendations to the Governor by December 1, 1997, the Governor's presenting a proposal to the General Assembly by January 1, 1998, submitting a state plan to the federal government by July 1, 1998, and implementing the program by October 1, 1998.
Next meeting. The third meeting of the Subcommittee will be held November 24, 1997 in the Supreme Court Chamber, 1st floor, State Capitol. The agenda will include a presentation by the Office of the State Auditor regarding evaluation and auditing of human services programs, discussion of prioritization of the state policy objectives, and a presentation regarding the Governor's Commission on Educational Excellence for the 21st Century.
November 6, 1997 - Fifth of Six Meetings
Overview. The Subcommittee toured and reviewed programs at Mt. Pleasant Treatment Center. The Treatment Center is a shared campus consisting of a state Mental Health Institute (MHI) and a correctional facility. Agenda items included tours, an overview of the pilot dual diagnosis program which combines mental health and substance abuse treatment, and presentations by the directors of the departments of human services and corrections.
MHI Tour. The MHI has a 20-bed adult psychiatric unit serving 15 counties in SE Iowa. Of the 20-bed unit, 6 are designated for the dual diagnosis pilot program which combines substance abuse and psychiatric treatment. In addition, there is a 60 bed substance abuse treatment program serving adults throughout the state. The tour included a building area which is not currently in use for programs. The facilities include an Iowa Communications Network (ICN) connection and computers used for training staff in the development of a paperless record system.
Correctional Facility Tour. The correctional facility is housed in buildings originally constructed for use by the MHI. These buildings have been secured and converted to use as a medium security prison. The designed capacity is for 528 inmates and the facility operates with approximately 900-1000 inmates. The facility has specialized programs for substance abuse and sex offenders. The tour included a building used by a private business employing inmates in the manufacturing and processing of steel for parts.
Substance Abuse Program. In discussion it was noted that a great proportion of patients have a history of using methamphetamine drugs and that many of the behaviors from those drugs are similar to psychoses. Members observed that the geographic location of the MHI causes transportation expenses and difficulties for persons who reside in other areas of the state.
Corrections/Human Services Discussions. Mr. Walter "Kip" Kautzky, Director of the Department of Corrections (DOC), and Mr. Charles Palmer, Director of the Department of Human Services (DHS), related recent discussions as to possibilities for corrections use of buildings and other resources administered by DHS. It was noted that a recent federal court ruling requires DOC to address special needs inmates. Mr. Kautzky said that one of the possibilities under review is to establish at Mt. Pleasant a 100-bed correctional unit for women with special needs. He suggested the proximity of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics to Mt. Pleasant is viewed as very beneficial.
Dual Diagnosis Program. A committee has been meeting in response to legislation providing for submission of a proposal for establishing an ongoing program in place of the current pilot program. Budget projections have been predicated on a 24-bed unit with a statewide catchment area. This program would be targeted to adults although there was interest among members in creating a similar program for children. One of the challenges is establishing the amount to be charged because current charges for mental health and substance abuse treatment are significantly different.
Next Meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 11 to be held at the Farm Bureau corporate headquarters in West Des Moines. The purpose of the meeting is to develop final recommendations for the full Task Force.
Subcommittee Activity: November 6 & 7, 1997
Cost Subcommittee. The Cost Subcommittee met on November 6 to finalize their lists of factual assumptions associated with their cost analyses of various methods of expanding and retracting the current system of county issuance of drivers' licenses. The subcommittee spent a large portion of time discussing whether total state cost or total incremental cost was the most relevant calculation to the cost analysis. The subcommittee concluded both factors are relevant for inclusion in the subcommittee's final report to the full committee.
Quality Subcommittee. The Quality Subcommittee met on November 7. The numerical results of the customer survey conducted by Iowa State, along with the written comments submitted on the survey, were distributed. Dr. Padgitt will present his written report, along with a presentation, to the Committee on November 12. The Subcommittee also discussed specific subject areas of the Chapter 28E agreement between individual counties and the state (beyond those elements currently required to be addressed in such an agreement by Chapter 28E) that should be specified in any legislation pertaining to expansion of a system of county issuance of driver's licenses, including a specified opt-in/opt-out period prior to the issuance of any RFP pertaining to photo-licensing equipment, responsibility for collection and accounting for any fees associated with the licensing process, oversight guidelines, performance standards, and progressive discipline standards and measures, including appeals.
Future Meeting. The Committee will meet on November 12, 1997, at which time it will hear a presentation from Dr. Padgitt regarding the results of the customer survey as well as the presentation of the final subcommittee reports. In addition, the Committee will work on preparing its recommendations to be included in the final report of the Committee. That meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in Room 118 of the Capitol. As presently scheduled, it will be the final meeting of the Committee.
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