Damakant Jayshi
The Marathon County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved adding eight more staff to the county’s children support program. The positions will be fully funded by federal and state funds.
Additionally, the board made a flurry of budget-related decisions, including providing funding for nonprofits.
The proposal for added staffing of the Children’s Long-Term Support program of the Marathon County Department of Social Services drew overwhelming positive responses. The program aims to support children with disabilities.
Still, some supervisors objected to the program. Eventually only two supervisors – Chris Dickinson and Tim Sondelski – voted no.
The department sought approval to add six social workers, one social work supervisor, and one accounting specialist. Supervisor Tony Sherfinski, who said he was opposed to any program that increased “bureaucracy,” proposed reducing the additional social worker positions by two, retaining the accounting position, and eliminating the supervisor’s position. His proposal failed because it did not receive a second from any of the other 32 supervisors who attended the meeting on Tuesday. However, he was among those supervisors who voted in favor of the original proposal.
The objections came despite county staff sharing a troubling statistic: 78 children in Marathon County are on a waiting list for assessment of their service eligibility, and CLTS enrollment is projected to increase by 141% from 2019 to the end of 2023.
The county will not have to use any tax levy since the initiative is fully supported by federal and state funding. The estimated total cost of these additional positions is $847,710, with all the benefits included. County Board Chair Kurt Gibbs pointed out during the discussion on the proposal.
According to the staff, each social worker is carrying a caseload averaging 33 families, and the DSS wants to reduce it to 30 families per worker. This resolution amends the 2023 budget and, accordingly, requires a two-thirds majority vote of the County Board of Supervisors.
Some supervisors questioned how the number of children with disabilities increased and said the county should not be indulging in any welfare program. But the county staff and some other supervisors said the subject of which child could be considered having disability was not the board’s responsibility. Supporters of the proposal said they should instead focus on how best to provide support t families with children who have disabilities.
Board approves support for non-profits at 2023 level but supervisors want flexibility to reduce amount
The board also approved a series of resolutions that are intended as directions to County Administration Lance Leonhard while he prepares the 2024 county budget.
The board approved county support for each nonprofit as suggested by their respective standing committees, although in some instances, the measures passed with amendments. These amendments create the potential for a reduction in the county’s future financial support. The budget will be up for a vote in November.
“None of these resolutions, as amended, reduce the budgets of any of the referenced nonprofits,” Marathon County’s Corporate Counsel Michael Puerner told Wausau Pilot & Review when asked to clarify the impact of the amendments. “Instead, these resolutions, as amended, direct the County Administrator to prepare his 2024 budget with each nonprofit funded at the level each was funded last year or, if the Administrator determines reductions are necessary, to reduce each by no more than 8% from what was budgeted last year.”
Puerner added that in his understanding, the intent was to provide the administrator the flexibility in building the budget if any reductions were necessary.
The nonprofits that could see a potential funding cut by up to 8% of last year’s amount are The Women’s Community, Judicare’s mediation program, United Way 211, North Central Community Action Program, the Marathon County Historical Society, and Marathon County Development Corporation.
Matt Bootz criticized the way in which some supervisors pushed to amend resolutions they passed at the standing committee level. Bootz, who is the chair of the Public Safety Committee, objected specifically to an amendment proposed by Supervisor Jason Wilhelm and seconded by Supervisor Stacie Morache to a resolution supporting Judicare and The Women’s Community. Bootz said the measure passed the Public Safety Committee, a body that includes both Wilhelm and Morache, 7-0.
He said it is “irritating” and a “waste of time” when proposals pass at the committee stage and the same supervisors who approved them at that level then vote against during a full board meeting.
The final budget will be presented by County Administration Lance Leonhard and approved by the board. Members can offer amendments again and if they get a majority support, the amendments will get the green light.
WI DHS: Why do we need to renew CLTS with CMS?
CLTS is a home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver. The federal government requires us to renew the CLTS waiver every five years. The CLTS waiver pays for non-medical services and supports. These help kids stay in their homes and communities.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOzuL5fA7Fk
Packet: https://www.marathoncounty.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/10427/638282273153570000
