HCCS, JFS merger on the horizon?
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
HCCS, JFS merger on the horizon?
Children Services director seeks meeting
By BRANDY CHANDLER
The Highland County Press
The Highland County Board of Commissioners is considering a merger between the county’s departments of jobs and family services and children services – a route taken by 55 other Ohio counties.
However, not all officials involved are happy with the potential move.
Highland County Children Services Director Wendy Jacobs wrote a letter to the commissioners stating that she did not see the benefits to the potential merger.
“I met with (commission president) Shane Wilkin on Aug. 9 and was informed that JFS and HCCS will most likely be combining in the near future,” Jacobs wrote in a Sept. 16 letter to the board of commissioners. “I voiced several concerns at that time, as I have on previous occasions in the past. At this time, I respectfully request a meeting to discuss this issue with all three commissioners and Debbie Robbins (JFS executive director).
“My main concern is the negative financial impact this will have on both agencies and the loss of services to the county as a result,” Jacobs wrote.
“I have two reports from the (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services) that states this would not be fiscally beneficial, but rather the opposite.”
At this week’s county commissioners meeting, Commissioner Gary Heaton said there is no definite timetable for the potential merger. “We have information from ‘conflicting experts,’” he said. “We are going to sort through all the numbers and information so we can make sure we do what’s right for both agencies.”
“We also want to be sure to do what’s best to provide for the people they serve,” Commissioner Tom Horst said.
Jacobs told The HCP that she did not see how it would benefit the residents of Highland County. “I have concerns that if we do combine, it is going to have a negative financial effect on both agencies.”
“This is not supported by myself or by the Highland County Children Services Board. Neither of us feel it would be beneficial.”
Jacobs said that she is not convinced there would be any cost-savings by merging the two agencies.
“I have received no documentation that it will be beneficial to Highland County,” Jacobs said. “I have received documentation to the contrary.”
Jacobs said that a meeting date has not yet been scheduled.
“I wouldn’t propose any changes,” Jacobs said. “The levy we passed has been and will be sufficient to continue operating children services, to get
services back in place that we had lost due to the lack of funding. We’re financially stable thanks to the residents of Highland County.”
Debbie Robbins, executive director of the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services, said the county is still investigating the numbers and looking to see if the move would be beneficial to Highland County residents.
“At this point, we’re going to have a joint meeting, and include Wendy and myself and some other folks to really discuss the situation,” Robbins said.
Regarding the potential savings to the county, Robbins said, “That is something that is difficult to determine, and something we have been trying
to determine for a while. Until we get the financial information on paper, I can only speculate, until we get some very hard numbers.”
According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, in Ohio’s 88 counties, 55 have children services departments that are housed within the administrative body of county job and family services agencies, and 33 counties have separate children services boards.
For area residents who receive services from both agencies, Robbins said they should not worry that they will no longer receive assistance.
“To my knowledge, the commissioners haven’t made a decision,” Robbins said. “When they do, they want to make an informed decision about the whole situation.
“As far as services go, there are basic services we are mandated to provide – food assistance, medical, cash assistance – so those wouldn’t go away. They are mandated and that is what we do. And it would be the same for children services. Those wouldn’t go away.”
***
In other action, from the Sept. 22 meeting, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund, TEC, as follows: from Repairs to TEC Repairs, in the amount of $1,000.
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund, Maintenance & Operations, as follows: from Repairs to Supplies, in the amount of $500.
• The authorization of a modification to the Engineer's budget as follows: from Salary -Employees to Other Expense, in the amount of $5,000; from Laborers - Salary to Other Expense in the amount of $30,000; and from Workers Comp to Other Expense in the amount of $3,148.46, for a total amount modified to Other Expense of $38,148.46
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the General Fund, Recorder's budget, as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Salary
Employees in the amount of $6,410. The additional funds are from the Records Preservation fund.
• The authorization of a modification to the CAO Housing Rehabilitation budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Expenses, in the amount of $6,672. The additional funds are from the CHIP CDBG program grant.
• The authorization of a modification to the Concealed Carry Law Budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $31,819.12, which is the 2009 carry-over balance.
• The authorization of a modification to the Help Me Grow budget as follows: from Salaries Part C to Salaries in the amount of $8,085.40
and from Salaries-ARRA to Salaries in the amount of $9,952.50. The modification is necessary to reimburse the salary expenditures made from the GRF budget for ARRA and Part C Salaries.
The Highland County Board of Commissioners is considering a merger between the county’s departments of jobs and family services and children services – a route taken by 55 other Ohio counties.
However, not all officials involved are happy with the potential move.
Highland County Children Services Director Wendy Jacobs wrote a letter to the commissioners stating that she did not see the benefits to the potential merger.
“I met with (commission president) Shane Wilkin on Aug. 9 and was informed that JFS and HCCS will most likely be combining in the near future,” Jacobs wrote in a Sept. 16 letter to the board of commissioners. “I voiced several concerns at that time, as I have on previous occasions in the past. At this time, I respectfully request a meeting to discuss this issue with all three commissioners and Debbie Robbins (JFS executive director).
“My main concern is the negative financial impact this will have on both agencies and the loss of services to the county as a result,” Jacobs wrote.
“I have two reports from the (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services) that states this would not be fiscally beneficial, but rather the opposite.”
At this week’s county commissioners meeting, Commissioner Gary Heaton said there is no definite timetable for the potential merger. “We have information from ‘conflicting experts,’” he said. “We are going to sort through all the numbers and information so we can make sure we do what’s right for both agencies.”
“We also want to be sure to do what’s best to provide for the people they serve,” Commissioner Tom Horst said.
Jacobs told The HCP that she did not see how it would benefit the residents of Highland County. “I have concerns that if we do combine, it is going to have a negative financial effect on both agencies.”
“This is not supported by myself or by the Highland County Children Services Board. Neither of us feel it would be beneficial.”
Jacobs said that she is not convinced there would be any cost-savings by merging the two agencies.
“I have received no documentation that it will be beneficial to Highland County,” Jacobs said. “I have received documentation to the contrary.”
Jacobs said that a meeting date has not yet been scheduled.
“I wouldn’t propose any changes,” Jacobs said. “The levy we passed has been and will be sufficient to continue operating children services, to get services back in place that we had lost due to the lack of funding. We’re financially stable thanks to the residents of Highland County.”
Debbie Robbins, executive director of the Highland County Department of Job and Family Services, said the county is still investigating the numbers and looking to see if the move would be beneficial to Highland County residents.
“At this point, we’re going to have a joint meeting, and include Wendy and myself and some other folks to really discuss the situation,” Robbins said.
Regarding the potential savings to the county, Robbins said, “That is something that is difficult to determine, and something we have been trying
to determine for a while. Until we get the financial information on paper, I can only speculate, until we get some very hard numbers.”
According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, in Ohio’s 88 counties, 55 have children services departments that are housed within the administrative body of county job and family services agencies, and 33 counties have separate children services boards.
For area residents who receive services from both agencies, Robbins said they should not worry that they will no longer receive assistance.
“To my knowledge, the commissioners haven’t made a decision,” Robbins said. “When they do, they want to make an informed decision about the whole situation.
“As far as services go, there are basic services we are mandated to provide – food assistance, medical, cash assistance – so those wouldn’t go away. They are mandated and that is what we do. And it would be the same for children services. Those wouldn’t go away.”
***
In other action, from the Sept. 22 meeting, commissioners approved the following resolutions, all by 3-0 votes:
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund, TEC, as follows: from Repairs to TEC Repairs, in the amount of $1,000.
• The authorization of a modification to the General Fund, Maintenance & Operations, as follows: from Repairs to Supplies, in the amount of $500.
• The authorization of a modification to the Engineer's budget as follows: from Salary -Employees to Other Expense, in the amount of $5,000; from Laborers - Salary to Other Expense in the amount of $30,000; and from Workers Comp to Other Expense in the amount of $3,148.46, for a total amount modified to Other Expense of $38,148.46
• The authorization of additional appropriation to the General Fund, Recorder's budget, as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Salary Employees in the amount of $6,410. The additional funds are from the Records Preservation fund.
• The authorization of a modification to the CAO Housing Rehabilitation budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Expenses, in the amount of $6,672. The additional funds are from the CHIP CDBG program grant.
• The authorization of a modification to the Concealed Carry Law Budget as follows: from Unappropriated funds to Other Expense, in the amount of $31,819.12, which is the 2009 carry-over balance.
• The authorization of a modification to the Help Me Grow budget as follows: from Salaries Part C to Salaries in the amount of $8,085.40
and from Salaries-ARRA to Salaries in the amount of $9,952.50. The modification is necessary to reimburse the salary expenditures made from the GRF budget for ARRA and Part C Salaries.
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