Schneveis steps down from managing Wintersports area
After 20 years of managing area, Schneveis says it is time to get someone younger to lead it
When Perksintown Wintersports Area opens next winter, there will be a different face managing the facility.
After 20 years of serving as the manager of the facility Joanne Schneveis told members of the county’s building and grounds committee on March 30 that she planned to step down. While she still wanted to be involved with working at the facility, at 67-years-old she said it was time for someone else to be in charge of running it.
“I think you need a a younger person,” she said, endorsing Sara Matyka and Judy Lang to run the facility in the future.
“She is younger than me and she has kids that help draw in kids to work,” Schneveis said of Matyka.
Schneveis said that she was working with Matyka this past season to show her the operations and how things work. For her part, Matyka said they are seasonal calf farmers and that the time from November through the beginning of April is her downtime. “It is a good fit,” she said of being able to make the Wintersports Area a priority.
Committee members held off taking formal action on hiring a replacement for Schneveis in order to consult with the county’s human resources department.
Courthouse cameras
Taylor County will spend up to $3,000 out of the courthouse security account to upgrade the security camera on the main floor of the courthouse.
The request came from Lester Lewis who serves on the committee that reviews courthouse security issues. Because the buildings and grounds department manages the courthouse building and facilities, the request came to the buildings and grounds committee.
According to Lewis, currently when people come in the main entrance they are on camera. There is also a camera that captures images of people coming in the north entrance. In between there is a dead spot with no coverage. In reviewing the security of the courthouse in the main lobby of the older portion of the courthouse was identified as lacking camera coverage.
“It is about safety and security,” Lewis said, in response to a concern expressed that it would show those entering offices in the area.
Committee member Jim Gebauer noted that there is no expectation of privacy for people in the hallway of the courthouse, noting all other areas of the courthouse have camera coverage.
Rather than installing an additional camera, committee members agreed to upgrade the existing camera to a multi-view head. This may include the need for additional wiring to be run, but it was noted that was included in the estimate for the project.
Committee chairman Diane Albrecht asked where the money for the camera upgrade was coming from. She noted that it was not included as part of the buildings and grounds budget.
Rather than taking it away from an existing buildings and grounds budget area, county finance director Larry Brandl noted the county already had $5,000 budgeted for safety and security measures through the security committee.
Committee members voted unanimously to approve upgrading the camera at a cost not to exceed $3,000 with the money to come from the security account.
Committee members later in the meeting tabled action on a request for additional cameras from CDI, the agency currently running the HeadStart program at the Taylor County Education Center. The outside agency operates the daycare center under contract with the federal government and had approached the county about installing cameras at the agency’s expense around the building.
“There is no cost to us,” said buildings and grounds supervisor Joe Svejda.
Albrecht questioned who would be able to view the cameras and if other groups who rent space in the education center would be OK with cameras being there.
Committee members tabled the request until they had a chance to talk with an agency representative about the camera request.
In other business, committee members:
_ Approved a formal job description for the campground host at Wood Lake campground. Svedja noted the previous host passed away mid-season last year and it was found that there had never been any formal listing of what was required for the position. As the county seeks to fill the position, Svejda said he was more comfortable having a formal description in place.
_ Approved the job description for a maintenance technician position to replace the existing custodian position which the county has been unable to fill. Svejda said the new position includes additional duties outside of custodian functions. This bumps it to a higher graded position increasing the pay in an effort to make it more competitive with private industry.
_ Discussed the need for a more formalized rental policy for the horse arena to prevent misuse of the facility and ensure it is properly maintained. The facility will be locked and groups seeking to use it, will have to go through the clerk’s office as with other rentals.
_ Agreed to set the rent for the entire fairgrounds at $300 with an additional $300 security deposit. The amount was picked because the county’s existing policy calls for $100 per building with a $300 maximum.
