DARLINGTON – The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors met during an afternoon meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 7 to determine a settlement agreement between the manor and a former employee and between Freeport Regional Healthcare Foundation, Family Health of Lafayette County, Dr. Martin Cleary and Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County.
The board convened in closed session for about forty-five minutes over those issues and when back in open session approved Resolution 97-16, authorizing a confidential settlement agreement and releasing claims between the Lafayette County Manor and a former employee, Candy Mandrel, resolving all issues between both parties. Larry Ludlum made the motion to approve with a second from Gerald Heimann. The motion was approved.
The board also discussed Resolution 98-16, authorizing a settlement agreement between Freeport Regional Healthcare Foundation (acting under FHN), Family Health of Lafayette County (FHLC or now known as MHLC Primary Care), Dr. Martin Cleary and Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County resolving all issues between the parties. FHLC and Dr. Martin Cleary were involved in litigations with FHN over FHLC’s employment of Dr. Martin Cleary. It was stated that Cleary’s job at FHLC violated a clause prohibiting him from practicing within 25 miles of FHN, located in Freeport, Warren and Stockton, Ill., for three years. Dwayne Larson made the motion to approve and Bob Boyle seconded. The motion was approved.
Resolution 99-16 approves a total payment of $250,000 from Dr. Martin Cleary, FHLC and MHLC. It also authorizes MHLC to pay $100,000 toward the settlement payment and MHLC will pay an additional $150,000 on behalf of Dr. Cleary. Dr. Cleary will pay back MHLC over a period of time not to exceed five years through direct payroll withholdings. Ted Wiegel motioned to approve the resolution with Leon Wolfe seconding. The motion passed.
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors also approved:
-Resolution 89-16, authorizing the purchase of one tandem axle truck with winter equipment for the Highway Department. Highway Commissioner Tom Jean stated that because of the agreement with Truck Country of Shullsburg and Monroe Truck Equipment Inc. from the last time a truck was purchased, the price did not change and will be around $175,000. The truck will be put on the route from the Iowa County line to the intersection of HWY 23/81 and to Lamont. There is one possible change with having a stainless steel box, which could add about $4,000. Jean is hoping to have the truck in service by next November.
-Resolution 90-16, dissolving of ContinuUs (formerly named Southwestern Family Care Alliance) as a long-term care district formed by Crawford, Grant, Green, Iowa, Juneau, Lafayette, Richland and Sauk counties. ContinuUs Board of Directors passed a resolution to jointly create a non-profit corporation and merge operations with two other long-term care districts, Community Care Connections of Wisconsin (CCCW) and Western Wisconsin Cares (WWC).
-Resolution 91-16, revising Lafayette County ATV ordinance by adding routes from County Road O from Burr Oak Road just to County Cheese Trail, County Road F from Fayette to County Road G to Everson Road, County Road M from Walnut Road to Hawley road to North Road (contingent upon passage at the Wiota Town Board meeting), County Road Z from Holland Road to County Road F then County Road F to the Darlington City Limits and State Road 78/81 (Milwaukee Street) from South River Street to Railroad Street, which includes the Bridge over the Pecatonica River. Highway Safety Committee member Heimann said the State of Wisconsin wanted the board to pass the route on State Road 78/81 so they would be able to connect the ATV trail to the Cenex gas station in Argyle. Village of Argyle petitioned the DOT to get it passed. Jean stated that it was the first time in the State of Wisconsin that any State highway is being used as an ATV route.
-Resolution 92-16, creating a Certified Medical Assistant job at MHLC Primary Care Clinics with a wage range of $16.10 to $17.50 per hour.
-Resolution 93-16, wage increases for Public Health Registered Nurses due to an industry shortage and the requirement for them to have a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree. The increase affected Lee Gill, $3/hr, Danielle Steger, $2.50/hr, and Christy Gilbert, $2/hr, which allows the base rate to be $26.24/hr.
-Resolution 94-16, refilling the Accounting Assistant position in the Finance office half time, while also combining the position with the Finance Manager position in Lafayette Manor, therefore creating one full time position and saving the County money. This creation also relieves Nicola Mauer of her current duties as the Finance Manager at Lafayette Manor, while reducing her salary by $20,000. The wage range for the new position was approved at $20 to $24/hr.
The board had authorized to borrow $2.7 million in November and Resolution 95-16 and Resolution 96-16 were written to clarify and explain the specifics for that borrowing. Resolution 95-16 authorizes the borrowing of $1,400,000 toward conversion of medical records to the EPIC medical records program and Resolution 96-16 authorizes the borrowing of $1,300,000 toward the purchase of the Family Health of Lafayette County Clinics.
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors also welcomed Bob Jones as the new part-time Lafayette Development Corporation Coordinator and Sgt. Samuel Fuller as the new Veterans Service Officer.