The Policy and Procedure Committee covered several administrative items at its meeting, approving claims, discussing meeting-room audiovisual upgrades and a new GIS site, and advancing an animal control administrator hiring process while also addressing rising reports of property-title fraud in the county.

Claims: The committee approved claims presented at the meeting. A roll call exchange recorded affirmative responses from named members (transcript: “Bennett? Yes. Bennington? Yes. All? Yes.”) and a chair confirmation of the vote.

Audio/Video and meeting-room configuration: Committee members reported that Bernie McCarthy and vendors have been inspecting the meeting room’s audio and camera needs. Staff said they are considering a return to a U-shaped seating configuration and that Area Wide Technologies will provide sound-system recommendations and sample management reports as part of services already paid for by the county. The goal is to improve microphone coverage, recordings and camera sightlines for in-person and remote viewers.

GIS website: County GIS staff said a new GIS site will be ready for user acceptance testing and is expected to go live March 1. Staff invited committee members to review the preview site and submit corrections before launch.

Animal control administrator: The committee discussed the job description and candidate progress for an animal control administrator position. Committee members said the job description was reviewed and that Jill (candidate) is being considered; staff said they hope to bring an appointment forward to the full board in March.

Property fraud and title theft: County staff reported multiple reported incidents in which unknown parties attempted to list or sell property without authorization. The committee heard that at least one case involved what staff described as impersonation of an owner or spouse and possible fake identification. Staff reached out to local realtor associations and to a county office that maintains a fraud-alert notification program; options include public notices and advising property owners to sign up for document-notification services.

Financial and claims accounting: Committee members discussed Line Item and pay-now claims being reported under different budget codes and noted some FY24 allocations and pay-now claims had been posted in the current month; staff said they are reconciling prior-year purchases and recompiling accounts payable preallocations for audit work.

Committee members asked staff to return with recommended public-notice language for the fraud alert and to report back on the animal control appointment process. The committee took no other formal policy actions beyond approving claims and the direction to staff described above.