HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune_15_2004_Briefing_MinutesIREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
BRIEFING MINUTES
JUNE 15, 2004
The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on
Tuesday, June 15, 2004, at 5:00 p.m., in the Iredell County Government Center (South
Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC.
Present were:
Chairman Steve D. Johnson
Vice Chairman Godfrey Williams
Doug Madison
Marvin Norman
Sara Haire Tice
Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Tax Administrator Bill
Doolittle, Tax Collector Bill Furches, Transportation Director Ben Garrison, Social
Services Director Don Wall, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein, and Clerk to the
Board Jean Moore.
CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Johnson
Update from the Social Services Director Regarding the Work First
Program for FY 03-04: Social Services Director Don Wall and Social Work
Supervisor Linda Bledsoe advised that out of the original 21 electing Work First
counties, only 9 remained. Wall said a new plan would be needed by January 2005 for
the two-year period extending from 2006-2008. He said the Welfare Reform
Committee would have to be reactivated to start working on the plan.
Bledsoe then shared the following information.
The mission of Work First Family Assistance is to provide all able-bodied recipients an
employment plan to enable them to gain permanent full-time employment and become
tax -paying citizens.
Work First Family Assistance caseload average: 271.
Work First Family Assistance output average per month: 560 actions. This figure only
includes applications taken, reviews, changes and application dispositions.
Benefit Diversion average per month: 16.
New employed participants average per month: 9.
Average rate of pay per employed participant: $7.42.
Participants active in employment services average per month: 85.
Average 150% applications per month: 34.
Home visits / field visits average per month: 37.
Emergency Assistance average per month: 187 (This is for six months.)
Domestic Violence— I I recipients served.
Services provided: counseling, utilities and housing.
Wheels -to -Work: 16 vehicles awarded. Vehicles include: 90 Buick, 91 Taurus, 92
GEO, 86 Honda, 93 Taurus, 92 Celica, 86 Subum, 88 Mustang, 94 Honda, 90 Nissan,
89 Pontiac, etc.
Employment Services component placements average per month:
8 Education
17 Job Search
20 Employed
22 Vocational Training
13 Work Experience
33 Assessments
17 Other (counseling, doctors' appointments, parenting)
Expendidures — Work First Family Assistance Program
Domestic Violence $8,748.98 divided by I 1 recipients = $795.36 average per person.
150% $1,894.03
July 2003
$6,031.21
August 2003
$13,045.99
September 2003
$12,725.13
October 2003
$12,925.01
November 2003
$13,853.21
December 2003
$ 5,791.93
January 2004
$9,503.12
February 2004
$11,265.85
March 2004
$ 5,140.71
April 2004
$92,176.19
12/03
150% $92,176.19 divided by 10 = $9,217.61 average expenditures per month.
150% $92,176.19 divided by 145 recipients = $635.70 average per person
Emergency Assistance Program ran from 08/03 — 12/03 and 04/04.
Spent $236,906.87 divided by 6 months — $39,484.47 average per month.
Emergency Assistance $236,906.87 divided by 753 recipients — $314.62 average per person.
Work First Family Assistance Expenditures average per month: $1,218.42.
This does not include Iredell County Area Transportation System transportation.
Iredell County Area Transportation System average cost per month: $4,032.98.
Cash Assistance
Check Count
07/03
$70,801
326
08/03
$68,782
326
09/03
$64,993
311
10/03
$66,692
315
11/03
$62,939
290
12/03
$60,489
273
01/04
$54,907
252
02/04
$59,928
268
3/4
$57,555
260
04/04
$54,807
277
$621,893
2898
Cash Assistance Average payment per check — $214.60
Chairman Johnson asked about the domestic violence money.
Bledsoe said the money came from the state legislature, and the social services
staff developed a plan with Fifth Street Shelter Ministries for its usage. She said the
funding was primarily distributed to vendors for housing.
Commissioner Madison asked if ICATS had made an impact or provided that
much assistance.
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Bledsoe said not that much. She said many of the individuals had children
needing child care, and they couldn't use ICATS that often. She said also, many of the
clients had retail jobs and their schedules were always changing.
Request for a Call for a Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 13, 2004
Regarding a Direct Placement Loan for the Iredell Rescue Squad and Permission
for the Finance Director to Proceed with an Application to the Local Government
Commission: Finance Director Blumenstein noted that previously it had been the
understanding that the rescue squad's $720,000 loan refinancing would occur at the
same time as the financing for the new social services building. She said now, however,
it was understood the bids for the new building would not be ready until September.
Blumenstein said that due to this factor, it would be better for the squad to proceed
separately. Blumenstein said the squad's equipment had been appraised, and an
appraisal would be done on the land. She said the squad's loan payments would be
deducted from the county's appropriation.
Adjournment: Chairman Johnson adjourned the briefing at 6:10 p.m.
Approval:
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Clerk to the Board