It will be a light agenda when the Monroe County Board meets on Wednesday in the County Board meeting room in the Monroe County Courthouse Annex.

The Finance Committee will present proposed 2009 budget guidelines to the board, and is also offering a resolution to transfer funds from the 2008 contingency fund to individual departmental budgets. The resolution, if passed, will cover the amounts necessary to meet the increased costs of wages and fringe benefits for the 2007 and 2008 calendar years after the county settled with the Highway and Sheriff unions last month.

The county approved resolutions to ratify arbitration awards for 2007-2008 collective bargaining agreements between the county and the Highway and Sheriff’s Department unions on May 28. Parties were unable to settle differences, and the matters went to arbitration hearings in February and March of 2008.

The resolution before the board on Wednesday will adjust for increased costs by $283,856. The Highway Union will receive $44,929 for 2007 and $93,709 for 2008. The Sheriff’s Union will receive $37,201 for 2007 and $58,549 for 2008. The jail will receive adjustments of $17,914 and $37,554 for 2007 and 2008, respectively.

A resolution authorizing the discontinuance of oral committee reports at county board meetings will also be considered on Wednesday. The Administrative/Executive Committee will offer the resolution to the board, believing that committee activity could be disseminated to the county board in a more effective way. The resolution would create a 3-month trial period in which all committees will provide a copy of monthly committee minutes to the office of the County Clerk, and they will be included in monthly packets given to supervisors.