DSS Board Minutes 032111 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES March 21, 2011 2 differently. Ms. Coston highlighted budget issues. The expenditures in the budget have been decreased as much as possible. One of the increases in expenditures is due to social work positions moving from the Department on Aging. The two positions will be located at the Senior Centers and will provide access to both DSS and Aging services. Valerie Foushee stated that the Board understands and appreciates the practicality of having a one-stop location for seniors in Orange County. Ms. Coston noted the new system should be in place by the beginning of next fiscal year. Sharron Hinton added that interviews are being finalized for the positions. The addition of a Food and Nutrition Services outreach worker also caused personnel costs to increase. There is offsetting revenue for this position. The 401k has been budgeted back in for the county. The health insurance increase estimates are also included. There have also been reclassifications that happened after the budget was approved last year. Ms. Coston added that many revenue reductions have impacted the budget. The General Assembly has not adopted a budget but staff included cuts the Governor’s budget recommended. Child care subsidy funds have been reduced again, and the administrative funds have been reduced from 5% to 3%. There are two new revenue sources. The agency has proposed to run Smart Start subsidy for next year and that revenue has been included. A decision should be made on that proposal next week. The agency budgeted 5% for administrative costs for these funds. Additional funds were also included for a Food and Nutrition Employment and Training Program. This will enable clients who are Food and Nutrition Services recipients to receive training for employment. This program will be combined with current efforts at the Skills Development Center and other work-readiness programs and will use existing staff resources. Ms. Coston added that expenditures were reduced with the knowledge that revenues are down. Pat Garavaglia asked for clarification on the MANNA Food Bank revenue source. Ms. Coston responded that this is the revenue line item for the Food and Nutrition outreach worker. Arthrell Sanders asked whether there were still concerns about Adolescent Parenting. Ms. Coston replied that the funds are still included in the budget, but there has been discussion at the state level to cut this funding. Ms. Coston stated that one of the two areas of greatest concern is staff. They have had to sustain serious increases with no relief. The other area of concern is child care subsidy. The lack of child care subsidy undermines most of the other programs run by the agency. The Work First participation rate has fallen due to lack of child care for parents seeking services. While the agency has tried to find additional resources for this year to piece together child care for the extremely vulnerable, there are major concerns about next year. Ms. Coston further stated that working parents in Orange County have little hope of obtaining child care subsidy at this point. She added that staff moved $50,000 from the county-funded emergency assistance program to child care subsidy for next fiscal year to help cover these needs. There are no other major changes this year because the agency cut staff and contracts last year. Expenditures were reduced and revenues increased wherever possible to make up for state and federal revenue cuts. Ms. Coston pointed out other pages of interest including the organizational chart and the list of