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Wyoming Legislature

Committee Meeting Summary of Proceedings

Management Audit Committee

November 20-21, 2002

UW Outreach Center, Room 105        

Casper, Wyoming

Meeting Attendance (Present)

Committee Members

Representative Randall Luthi, Chairman

Senator Hank Coe, Vice Chairman

Senator April Brimmer Kunz

Senator Grant Larson

Senator Mike Massie

Senator Carroll Miller

Senator Bill Vasey

Representative Ross Diercks

Representative Alan Jones

Representative Tom Lockhart

Representative Jane Warren

Legislative Service Office

Barbara J. Rogers, Program Evaluation Manager; Kelley Pelissier, Senior Program Evaluator; Kate Collins, Associate Program Evaluator

Others Present

Please refer to Appendix 1 to review the Committee Sign-in Sheet for a list of other individuals who attended the meeting.

Written Meeting Materials and Handouts

All meeting materials and handouts provided to the Committee by the Legislative Service Office (LSO), public officials, lobbyists, and the public are referenced in the Meeting Materials Index, attached to the minutes. These materials are on file at the LSO and are part of the official record of the meeting. 

Call To Order (November 20, 2002)

Chairman Luthi called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.  The following sections summarize Committee proceedings by topic.  Please refer to Appendix 2 to review the Committee Meeting Agenda.

Executive Session

Attorney General’s Office

Chairman Luthi resolved the meeting into Executive Session for consideration of the draft report on the Attorney General’s Office:  Assignment of Attorneys and Contracting for Legal Representation.  After staff presentations, the Committee discussed the report with the Attorney General and one of his deputies.  Following their departure, the Committee discussed the report.  Chairman Luthi delayed further discussion and voting until the next day’s meeting.  

Open Session

Progress Report From the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission

Ms. Rogers briefly reviewed the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission report, released in May 2002.  In releasing the report, the Committee had requested that the Aeronautics Commission, the Wyoming Airport Operators Association (WAOA), and the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) come to a consensus on state-level organization for aeronautics, and present a progress report and recommendations for draft legislation.  Brad Mead, Chairman of the Wyoming Aeronautics Commission, and Shelly Reams, WYDOT Aeronautics Division Administrator, discussed what had occurred in response to the Committee request.  Also in attendance were Dan Mann and Jay Lundell, WAOA representatives.

Ms. Reams and Mr. Mead reported that the entities had met twice and had identified many areas of general agreement, but had not been able to reach consensus on state-level organization.  They presented the Committee with a draft of legislation, but spokespersons for all three groups acknowledged that it was not yet a consensus document. 

After discussion, the Committee concluded that it was critical to take action to move forward some system to promote air service in the state.  Further, members discussed that they preferred to see legislation specifically related to the recommendations from the LSO report on the Aeronautics Commission, rather than the changes proposed in the draft document. 

Senator Massie moved that, for the December 19, 2002 meeting, the Committee request LSO staff to draft two bills:  one to implement the report’s recommendation to disband the Aeronautics Commission and transfer grant approval authority to the Transportation Commission, and the other to enhance current Aeronautics Commission responsibilities; and that the Chairman or his designee contact the Governor-elect’s Transition Team to learn the new administration’s approach to air service issues.  The motion was seconded.  After discussion, Chairman Luthi called for a vote on the motion, with the three parts to be taken as a whole, and the motion carried.  Chairman Luthi thanked all those involved for their considerable efforts to reach consensus.

Meeting Recess

The Committee recessed at 6:00 p.m. until the next morning.

November 21, 2002

Meeting Resumed

The Management Audit Committee meeting resumed at 8:30 am, November 21.

Executive Session

Follow-up on Placement of Deferred Compensation

The Chairman resolved the Committee into Executive Session for consideration of a staff follow- up report on Placement of Deferred Compensation.  After Ms. Rogers’ introductory comments giving background on the Deferred Compensation study, Tom Mann, Wyoming Retirement System Director, and Polly Scott, Deferred Compensation Administrator, discussed agency actions since the October 2000 report was released.

Open Session

Follow-up on Placement of Deferred Compensation

Chairman Luthi declared the meeting open.  Senator Massie moved to release the follow-up report on Placement of Deferred Compensation.  The motion was seconded and it carried. 

Attorney General’s Office

Senator Kunz moved to release the report on the Attorney General’s Office:  Assignment of Attorneys and Contracting for Legal Representation.  The motion was seconded and it carried. 

In response to the Chairman’s inquiry, Ms. Rogers relayed that the Committee can request a progress report, an informal update, and testimony from an agency at any time before the formal follow-up is done, which is usually two years after a report’s release.  After discussion, Senator Kunz moved that, within a reasonable timeframe, a copy of the report on the Attorney General’s Office be sent to the Governor-elect and new Attorney General.  Senator Miller seconded the motion.  Representative Lockhart suggested that the report be transmitted with a request that approximately a year after its release, the new Attorney General meet with the Committee to discuss progress in the areas identified.  Senator Kunz accepted the amendment, as did the second, and the motion as amended carried. 

DFS Proposal for New Topic

Les Pozsgi, Department of Family Services Juvenile Services Administrator, and Donna Sheen, Juvenile Justice Coordinator and DFS Title 14 Facilitator, discussed efforts underway to revise Title 14 of the statutes dealing with children.  Specifically, the two discussed the need for a structure that would ensure quality legal representation for children throughout the state.  Mr. Pozsgi and Ms. Sheen stated that they brought this issue to the Management Audit Committee at the request of Senator Schiffer, Chairman of the Joint Judiciary Committee, in the belief that a program evaluation study of the perceived problem would help in developing solutions.  Senators Larson, Kunz, and Massiestated that although this is an important issue, they did not feel the Management Audit Committee was the proper Committee to be handling it.  Chairman Luthi told Mr. Pozsgi and Ms. Sheen that the topic was outside the scope of the Management Audit Committee, but that the Committee appreciated receiving their briefing on the issue. 

Staff Update

Ms. Rogers told the Committee that the PLPW Access Program report had been sent to the Game and Fish Department for its initial review, and that it will be presented to the Committee at its December meeting.  In addition, at that meeting the Committee will hear a follow-up report on the 2000 report on Employees’ Group Health Insurance.  There will also be two scoping papers:  one addressing a topic requested by the Agricultural, Public Lands and Water Resources Committee, on the emergency fire suppression account; and another on State Parks and Cultural Resources Department museum acquisition policies.  Ms. Rogers noted that staff will begin working on a report on Worker’s Compensation after the completion of the Access Program report.

Senator Larson reported that the Joint Appropriations Committee is also looking at the topics of Employees’ Group Insurance and the fire suppression account, and will be discussing them at its December 3-4, 2002 meeting.

Next Meeting

The Committee agreed to meet December 19, 2002 in Cheyenne.

Meeting Adjournment

There being no further business, Chairman Luthi adjourned the meeting at 11:00 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Randall Luthi, Chairman