BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC LANDS
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
PR - $47,300
Governor: Provide -$25,100 in 1999-00 and -$22,200 in 2000-01 for standard budget adjustments for: (a) removal of noncontinuing elements from the base (-$15,000 annually); (b) full funding of continuing salaries and fringe benefits costs (-$14,600 annually); (c) full funding of financial services charges ($3,200 annually); (d) reclassifications ($2,900 in 2000-01); and (e) fifth week of vacation as cash ($1,300 annually).
2. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVES
PR $444,100
Governor: Provide $199,500 in 1999-00 and $244,600 in 2000-01 to enable the Board to fund master lease and consultant costs to undertake the following information technology (IT) initiatives: (a) replacement of the agency’s existing computer network with a single hardware/software platform ($33,200 in 1999-00 and $59,200 in 2000-01); (b) development of a graphical user interface to permit agency staff to access mapping, loan status and land ownership data ($92,500 in 1999-00 and $104,400 in 2000-01); (c) imaging system enhancements that would add field surveyors’ notebook entries and federal Bureau of Land Management land patent information to the agency’s existing imaging database ($26,800 in 1999-00 and $34,000 in 2000-01); and (d) $47,000 annually for IT consultant services. Under this IT initiative, the principal amount of the 3-year master leases issued for equipment and software would be $395,100 in 1999-00 and $134,100 in 2000-01.
3. REIMBURSEMENTS FOR CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
GPR-REV - $6,600
PR $249,100
Governor: Provide increased expenditure authority of $122,300 in 1999-00 and $126,800 in 2000-01 in the Board's general program operations appropriation to fund the reimbursement of DOA for administrative services provided by that agency to the Board. Under the bill, there is no specification of how DOA is to handle reimbursement from the Board. However, the Executive Budget Book indicates the DOA would annually bill the Board for the cost of administrative services it provides to the Board and deposit these monies in the general fund. Collections under this new reimbursement mechanism are estimated at $122,300 in 1999-00 and $126,800 in 2000-01. Repeal a current law provision specifying that the amounts in the appropriation schedule for the Board's general program operations constitute 90% of the funds deducted from the gross receipts of trust fund investments and provide instead that all of the funds deducted from trust funds investments would now be credited to the appropriation. Under the current law mechanism, the remaining 10% deducted from the gross receipts of trust fund investments is credited to the general fund. Compared to current law, the revised reimbursement mechanism would decrease total general fund collections by $3,300 annually.
[Bill Sections: 588 and 691]
4. TRUST LANDS MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
PR $75,400
Governor: Provide increased expenditure authority of $37,700 annually for the following trust lands management projects:
Reforestation. Provide $4,600 annually to support the rejuvenation and reforestation of approximately 80 acres of trust land forests annually.
Soil Surveys and Soil Mapping. Amend the statutory enumeration of the types of disbursements that can be made by the Board in the caring for and selling of, trust lands to authorize expenditures for soil surveys and soil mapping activities. Provide $30,000 annually to support the costs of such activities on trust lands.
Protection of Trust Lands Holdings. Provide $3,100 annually for increased trust lands signage ($1,300), additional gating of roads into trust lands ($1,200) and the development of paint with tracer chemicals to aid in the identification of timber stolen from trust lands ($600).
The costs of all of the above projects and activities would be funded from the investment earnings accruing to the Common School Fund, the Normal School Fund, the University Fund and the Agricultural College Fund.
[Bill Section: 689]
5. TELEPHONE SYSTEM REPLACEMENT
PR $10,400
Governor: Provide: (a) one-time funding of $9,000 in 1999-00 to enable the Board to purchase and install a new telephone system in its Madison offices; and (b) on-going funding of $1,400 in 2000-01 for maintenance of the new system.
6. BOUNDARIES OF SUNKEN LOG PERMIT AREAS
Governor: Specify that the area covered by a permit issued by the Board to raise sunken logs from state-owned lands must be entirely within the area of a single quarter section (as established on the mapping system of the United States Geological Survey). This mapping system divides much of the land in the United States into numbered sections, which are generally square parcels containing 640 acres. A quarter section of a standard section contains 160 acres. Provide that this new requirement would first apply to permits issued after the general effective date of the biennial budget act.
Under current law, the only area limitations for a permit to raise sunken logs from state-owned lands are that the area covered by the permit be contiguous and not exceed 160 acres in size.
[Bill Sections: 2306 and 9340(1)]
7. TRUST FUND LOANS -- ORIGINATION AND SERVICING FEES
Governor: Authorize the Board to charge a fee to eligible borrowers from the Common School Fund, the Normal School Fund, the University Fund and the Agricultural College Fund who repay one or more installments of a loan after March 15 but before August 1 of any year. Specify that the fee would cover any administrative costs incurred by the Board in originating and servicing the loan. Under current law, a borrower from the trust funds may prepay, with no prepayment fee being charged, any part of a loan after March 15 and prior to August 1 of any year and all interest on the amount of the payment is forgiven
[Bill Section: 690]
BOARD ON AGING AND LONG-TERM CARE
Budget Change Items
1. STANDARD BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS
GPR $112,600
PR - 7,400
Total $105,200
Governor: Provide $52,500 ($56,300 GPR and -$3,800 PR) in 1999-00 and $52,700 ($56,300 GPR and -$3,600 PR) in 2000-01 to reflect: (a) removal of noncontinuing items (-$15,200 PR annually); (b) full funding of salaries and fringe benefits ($56,000 GPR and $10,600 PR annually); (c) full funding of financial service charges ($300 GPR and $400 PR annually); and (d) full funding of lease costs ($400 PR in 1999-00 and $600 PR in 2000-01).
2. OMBUDSMAN SERVICES FOR FAMILY CARE RECIPIENTS
Funding Positions
PR $698,300 1.00
Governor: Provide $255,200 in 1999-00 and $443,100 in 2000-01 and 1.0 position, beginning in 1999-00, to support contracting for ombudsman services for recipients of the new Family Care benefit. Funding for these services would be claimed by DHFS as medical assistance administration costs and transferred to the Board. The additional position for the Board would supervise these contracts.
Require the Board to contract with one or more organizations to provide advocacy services to potential or actual recipients of the Family Care benefit or their families or guardians. Prohibit the Board from contracting with any organization that is a resource center, a care management organization, a provider or an affiliate of a provider of long-term care services. Require the advocacy services to include all of the following: (a) information, technical assistance and training about how to obtain needed services; (b) advice and assistance in preparing and filing complaints and appeals of complaints; (c) assistance in negotiation and mediation; (d) assistance regarding the appropriate interpretation of statutes, rules, or regulations; and (e) assistance in administrative hearings and legal representation for judicial proceedings.
[Bill Section: 41]
3. REGIONAL OMBUDSMAN POSITION SALARIES
GPR $73,200
PR 10,600
Total $83,800
Governor: Provide $36,600 GPR and $5,300 PR annually to reclassify the regional ombudsman positions into a higher pay range to improve recruiting and retention for these positions.
4. MEDIGAP COUNSELOR POSITION
Funding Positions
PR $73,400 1.00
Governor: Provide $31,500 in 1999-00 and $41,900 in 2000-01 and 1.0 position, beginning in 1999-00, to maintain the current staffing level for the Medigap Helpline. One of the Board's three Medigap counselors is supported by a federal grant that expires on September 30, 1999. This item would maintain support for this position. The Medigap Helpline provides information to consumers regarding insurance policies available to supplement federal Medicare insurance coverage, including long-term care insurance.
5. MEDIGAP HELPLINE MAILINGS
PR - $33,100
Governor: Provide $15,400 in 1999-00 and $17,700 in 2000-01 to: (a) fund costs of mailings for the Medigap Helpline that are not currently reflected in the Board's operating budget ($12,300 annually); and (b) increase funding to support these mailings by 25% in 1999-00 and an additional 15% in 2000-01 ($3,100 in 1999-00 and $5,400 in 2000-01).
6. MISCELLANEOUS ADJUSTMENTS
PR $43,700
Governor: Provide $10,100 in 1999-00 and $33,600 in 2000-01 to fund: (a) health insurance premiums ($1,800 in 1999-00 and $4,400 in 2000-01); (b) pay plan compensation reserves ($8,300 in 1999-00 and $16,600 in 2000-01); (c) the 27th pay period ($12,600 in 2000-01).
7. COMPUTER LINK-UPS WITH REGIONAL OFFICES
GPR $33,600
