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HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSS Board Minutes 022111MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 21, 2011 1 THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MET ON MONDAY: February 21, 2011 at the Hillsborough Commons, Hillsborough, North Carolina. BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBERS PRESENT: Claire Millar, Arthrell Sanders, Albert Williams and Pat Garavaglia. GUEST: None. BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES MEMBER ABSENT: Valerie Foushee. STAFF PRESENT: Nancy Coston, Director; Denise Shaffer, Assistant Director; Joyce Lee, Business Officer; Sharron Hinton, Community Services Manager; and Lindsey Shewmaker, Human Services Planner. I. Call to Order and Introductions DSS Vice-Chair, Arthrell Sanders, called the meeting to order at 4:00 P.M. II. Board Comments Claire Millar informed the Board and staff that PORCH will be delivering food to both sites of the agency beginning this month. III. Public Comments None. IV. Agenda Changes None. V. Action Items On a motion by Albert Williams the Board approved the Minutes of January 18, 2010. Claire Millar seconded the motion. The motion was carried without dissent. VI. Items for Discussion and/or Decision 1. Budget Nancy Coston informed the Board that the revenue and expenditure line items are not yet finalized. She added that there will be an increase in expenditures due to two staff that were added from the Department on Aging as well as the reinstatement of the county’s 401K contribution. Additionally, there has been a major reduction in the child care subsidy allocation from the Division of Child Development. This is a huge concern for many of the county programs including Work First, Adolescent Parenting, and Child Welfare. The agency has requested usage of the funds for Adolescents in Need to bridge the gap for the remainder of the year for Adolescent Parenting MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 21, 2011 2 Program participants. The county has agreed, but this is just a current year funding source. Staff are working on other options to include in the budget for fiscal year 2011-12, but may involve moving resources from one program to support another. Arthrell Sanders asked whether moving funds from one program to another will leave a void. Ms. Coston replied that staff are trying to do this with minimal impact to other programs. This includes looking for other funding sources for current programs. Albert Williams asked whether there had been an increase in the number of teens in the Adolescent Parenting Program. Ms. Coston replied that there has not been an increase. There is a need for child care so they can return to school and it happened to coincide with this reduction in funds. Ms. Coston informed the Board that they would receive the entire budget packet at the March Board Meeting. She noted that the performance measures were included in the packet that was sent out. The numbers listed in these documents will drive budget decisions. 2. Contracts Nancy Coston presented the proposed contracts for fiscal year 2011-12 and asked the Board for feedback. Lindsey Shewmaker will begin doing the paperwork that needs to go to the Attorney and County Manager’s Office. Arthrell Sanders recommended the Board wait to vote on the contracts until the entire budget packet was available. Albert Williams asked how effective Freedom House is at fulfilling the contract requirements. Sharron Hinton replied that staff have been very satisfied with the services clients receive through Freedom House. 3. Outside Agency Applications Nancy Coston informed the Board that staff have completed the summaries on the outside agency applications and they were included in the packet along with the score card for reference. Claire Millar and Pat Garavaglia have agreed to review the applications on behalf of the Board. This needs to be done by mid-March. Ms. Coston offered to compile the entire set of applications for Ms. Millar and Ms. Garavaglia to review. Ms. Garavaglia recommended that she and Ms. Millar read through the applications and then meet to review them. 4. Smart Start Application and Child Care Subsidy Nancy Coston presented the proposal that was presented to Smart Start to administer subsidy. Social Services did not need to submit a formal bid, but was required to submit a proposal. Since the agency has already agreed to do the enhancements for the remainder of this year, the main difference will be the additional subsidy dollars. Social Services put in an administrative fee of 5% to run the program. As part of the application, the agency suggested modifications to the enhancement system that is currently in place. The enhancements currently make up the difference between the private pay rate and the market rate set by the Division of Child Development. Smart Start money has traditionally been used to pay this difference. Staff at Social Services expressed concern about these enhanced payments given the current dearth of resources for subsidy. However, the agency will agree to whatever terms are set by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children for the funds. MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 21, 2011 3 The agency plans to use existing social workers and accounting staff to administer both programs if the proposal is approved by the Orange County Partnership for Young Children Board. Ms. Coston informed the Board that even with consolidation, it is highly unlikely that working parents will be taken off the waiting list next year. She added that none have been removed from the waiting list in a year. Claire Millar asked what the anticipated reaction is from the Orange County Partnership for Young Children Board. Ms. Coston replied that she thinks the reaction will be positive and has hope that the proposal will be approved. Pat Garavaglia noted that it has not been that long ago that there was no waiting list. Ms. Coston responded that stimulus funds really helped but the attrition rate was not high enough to deal with the reduction of funds received by the agency. 5. Animal Services Partnership Nancy Coston informed the Board about the partnership between Social Services and Animal Services. As part of this partnership, clients of Social Services can get pets spayed or neutered for free. This helps increase the number of pets that have been either spayed or neutered, and helps decrease the number of puppies and kittens in the shelter. 6. Director’s Report Pat Garavaglia informed the Board that a lot of people came to the food distribution held at the Commons. Many of the people there were not receiving Food and Nutrition Services, but filled out applications to determine eligibility while on site. Nancy Coston has been communicating with the Durham Food Bank to schedule a meeting and visit to determine what both FRIENDS of DSS and the agency can do to make sure that residents of northern Orange County have the opportunity to receive food. Arthrell Sanders asked how the agency got the word out. Ms. Coston responded that fliers were given to churches. Denise Shaffer added that notices were posted in the offices and emails were sent to community partners. The Joint Meeting with the Board of County Commissioners will be held on March 17th at Government Services Center. Board Members should be there between 5:00 and 5:15 for dinner. The meeting begins at 5:30. In the past, the agency has done an overview, but given the needs and issues, it may be better to include some numbers surrounding the budget. Pat Garavaglia noted that if there are any talking points for the Board to mention, feel free to share those. 7. Executive Session Pat Garavaglia moved that the Board enter into Executive Session pursuant to GS § 143 318.11(a)(1) pursuant to § 7B 2901(a). Claire Millar seconded the motion. The motion was carried without dissent. VII. Announcements The next regular meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 21, 2011 at the Hillsborough Commons, Mayo Street, Hillsborough, North Carolina. On a motion by Claire Millar and seconded by Pat Garavaglia, the Board adjourned their regular meeting at 5:22 P.M. MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES February 21, 2011 4 Submitted by Nancy Coston Director Pat Garavaglia Chair NC/PG:brs __________________________ Approval Date