Board of Supervisors to Consider County Department Staff Adjustments
Update, 11/9/10: The Board of Supervisors approved both agenda items separately on a 4-0 vote. Supervisor Steve Worthley was absent.
Nov. 4, 2010
At its November 9 meeting, the Board of Supervisors will consider requests from two Tulare County departments to adjust staffing levels.
Tulare County’s Health & Human Services Agency (HHSA) will ask the Board of Supervisors to add 117 positions to accommodate a surge in administrative work and program caseloads. County officials say an increase in state and federal funding will allow for the new positions.
Meanwhile, the Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County will make a recommendation to reorganize, which includes eliminating 17 positions and adding five positions to streamline its department due to a decrease in federal funds.
Both items will be discussed during the “untimed” portion of the Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
HHSA Requests Additional Staff
HHSA Director John Davis said caseload and demand for services have continued to rise in the past two years. Since August 2008, the CalWORKS caseload has increased by 14 percent; the Medi-Cal caseload has increased by 10 percent; and the Food Stamp caseload has increased by 55 percent.
“It is necessary to add additional staffing to efficiently serve clients and meet mandated application processing time frames and program performance standards,” Davis said.
In January 2009, the Board of Supervisors approved HHSA’s proposal to reduce staffing by 475 positions. The approval led to 137 layoffs. The action was prompted by the economic downturn, which reduced revenue from statewide sales tax and vehicle license fee funds.
County Administrative Officer Jean Rousseau said an increase in state and federal funds will allow the Board of Supervisors to consider adding the 117 positions to HHSA.
“Tulare County will administer social programs to the extent that they are funded,” Rousseau said.
Rousseau said the additional state and federal funds are restricted to the programs to which the Board will be considering augmenting.
HHSA will ask the Board of Supervisors to add: 100 positions to TulareWORKS, which provides clients with food stamps and cash aid, among other services; 4 positions to Health Services to meet growing caseloads; 10 positions to Mental Health to provide oversight and assist existing staff; and three positions to administration.
WIB Requests Reorganization and Elimination of Positions
Workforce Investment Board of Tulare County Executive Director Adam Peck said a decrease in federal funds prompted his department to make the recommendation to reorganize and eliminate 17 staff members who currently fill jobs in several Employment Connection Centers. WIB offers programs and services to provide employers’ access to qualified workers.
WIB maintained staffing levels during the economic downturn to help administer Tulare County’s $8.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. WIB’s staff levels remained the same to support the work of One Stop Operators and the increased workloads in the Centers associated with the short term increase in funding levels and the heavy flow of job seekers impacted by the economic downturn.
With nearly all ARRA funding expended, however, WIB will now have to recommend reorganization – which includes the elimination of 17 positions and the addition of five. The addition of five positions will allow WIB to meet its strategic goal of aligning staff resources to increase business services.
“The return to traditional funding levels necessitates the completion of the transition of the operation of the Employment Connection Centers through subcontracts,” Peck said. “It also completes the transition of the WIB to an organization focused on overseeing the workforce development system rather than providing services directly to job seekers.”
In July 2009, WIB transformed its business model by contracting with organizations to act as operators of Employment Connection Centers. Employment Connection Centers will remain open and be run by subcontracted One Stop Operators - such as Community Services Employment & Training. Employment Connection Centers offer job training, job leads, online classes and workshops to help residents find a job or improve job skills.
According to WIB, available options for the 17 employees are being researched and approval of the reorganization will result in a net savings of $563,220 for the 2011/12 fiscal year.