Board of DD approves 2012 budget; repays funds to Help Me Grow
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
The Highland County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Hills and Dales Training Center are facing a year where they will "tighten belts" when it comes to the 2012 budget. While the budget has "no cuts" and staff members will receive a 3-percent raise, the organizations will be reexamining its staff structure and the structure of the relationship with Highco, Inc.
Interim Superintendent Fred Williams told the board of DD during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday that the proposed budget is the result of "a lot of work by a lot of people" on the management team, and the process involved philosophical discussions on the board's mission and "gnashing of teeth" to arrive at an agreement.
There was also discussion on sharing services with Fayette County, and areas of possible overlap and separation between the two agencies. Williams is the superintendent of Fayette County's Board of Developmental Disabilities and is contracted as the Highland County interim superintendent until April.
"I have found there is some very good talent at all levels of the agency," Williams told the board Tuesday. "I have a greater appreciation for Highland County than I already had. We want to mend fences and build bridges and be good partners in this community. I want the staff to know we're not trying to make Highland County (into) Fayette County. We need you to be you. Sharing services is not a hostile takeover. It's not a friendly takeover. It's thinking about partnering and tapping into the best in both counties. It's about providing the best possible services we can and finding the right people to do that."
Staff members will be receiving a 3-percent raise in 2012, he said.
"We want the honor the commitments made prior to me coming on with the board," Williams said. "To the extent that we could, we did that. These are very tough economic times, and the period or era where we could do business as usual without being concerned about money is gone. We have to tighten belts. In the budget, we looked at core mission items and are beginning to prioritize and look at long-range issues and to look at oneself as an agency."
The facility is "bursting at the seams" in terms of space, and capital improvements are needed in bathroom areas and for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, Williams said.
"Capital hits need to be tabled because we don't have the funding," Williams said.
The board asked what major changes might be occurring, and Williams said that this year there are "no cuts," but they are looking at areas of expenditures and billing.
Williams said they are examining the relationship between the board and Highco, Inc. and that he has been in preliminary discussions with Mike Anderson, director of adult services at Highco.
"I recognize the independence project was put on hold or abandoned, but there is a general philosophy that there has to be an arm's-length distance between the county board and Highco," Williams said.
The board decided earlier this year to not proceed with a proposed independence project for Highco, after a report from Non-Profit Solutions Group concluded that the independence project was not financially feasible at this time. Highco, Inc. has its own nonprofit board that is separate from the board of DD and Hills and Dales, although there are some people who work for the board of DD who also do work for the nonprofit.
Moving forward, Williams said that Highco will receive "less subsidy" from the county board. One example was transportation for Highco, that had previously been provided by the board, will now be provided by the nonprofit.
"The county board and Highco are interconnected, but they are another provider of services in the community. We won't leave them off on their own and saw the branch off behind them, but we need to start talking long-range," Williams said.
Anderson told the board that, "In a way, I am very grateful for the independence project. We learned that we are a business. We are a people business."
Looking at the budget overall, Williams said that it is very conservative, and that when he came on as interim superintendent last month, he told the board he felt there were areas they could enhance revenue.
"This time next year, I think the board will be very pleasantly surprised to find an increase in revenue," Williams said.
Part of that revenue increase will come through internal changes and the implementation of a new table of organization in the staffing structure. Williams said that previously, Hills and Dales was structured so that everyone reported to the superintendent. He is implementing a new structure so there are more breakdowns and department heads for individuals to report to. Those heads will then report to the superintendent. Williams said that will increase communication. With that increased communication, Williams said that the organization will be able to do things like have a better assessment of case management, and of billable hours to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
"Reimbursement for billable hours will make a difference," Williams said. "Right now, everyone does a little bit of everything, and we're not being compensated for all that we could be. These are some untapped funds. Grants are OK ... but this is a consistent funding stream (with CMS). We have to find ways to enhance our revenue."
The structures gives individuals more responsibility, and Williams said he hopes to eventually develop the structure so there are individual department budgets. With more people involved and aware of costs, he said that will help cut down on spending.
However, as part of the table of organization, Williams said that it was determined after "gut-wrenching, sleepless nights and prayerful nights" that there was "not room for" Highco-oriented positions. While there is no job loss, Williams said that it had been under consideration to move certain Highco jobs under the umbrella of the county board. That move would have resulted in more pay and better benefits for certain employees.
"We have a good, organized structure here," Williams said. "We're in a situation to provide the best possible services we can."
There have been discussion, Williams said, on making sure that while Highland County and Fayette County are sharing services, the counties keep their individual funding.
"The (county) commissioners have discussed it, and that's what the taxpayers expect," Wililams said.
The table of organization creates two new positions: a part-time Service Support Administrator (SSA) and an administrative assistant/human resources coordinator.
Regarding the administrative assistant, board member Sam Snyder and board president Linda Allen expressed concern if they should offer the position to a former employee.
Snyder named the employee and asked, "do we have a responsibility to offer the job to her?"
Allen told Williams that former superintendent Chuck Biggert "laid her off."
Williams asked if it had been less than a year and if she was still "on the recall list." Allen and Snyder said that she was, and they wanted to know if they had a legal responsibility to offer her the job.
"Point well-taken," Williams said.
The board voted 4-0 to accept the 2012 budget. Williams said that in regard to the raises, and the new positions, "the funding is there to support this."
Board members Megan Filson, John Fittro and Gary Buchanan were not in attendance.
In other business:
• The board voted to authorize Allen to enter into negotiations with the Fayette County board to create temporary contracts for Lori Moore as business director and Renee Guess as SSA director. The positions are $35,000 annually and will be prorated. Moore's contract will be from Dec. 1 through April 12, and Guess will be employed from Jan. 1 through April 12. The contract for Williams is through April 12, as well.
• The board heard the finance report from Moore and voted to approve it. Moore reported that insurance was bid out, and three bids were received. The lowest was from Doug Wagoner and was a 16-percent increase from last year.
• Moore also reported that beginning in January, the board will begin approving all bills before they are paid.
• Snyder said, "with all the hassle we've had" that in January, it would be a good idea for each board member to sign a disclosure form. Allen said that board members are sworn-in in January and they could sign the forms then.[[In-content Ad]]
Interim Superintendent Fred Williams told the board of DD during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday that the proposed budget is the result of "a lot of work by a lot of people" on the management team, and the process involved philosophical discussions on the board's mission and "gnashing of teeth" to arrive at an agreement.
There was also discussion on sharing services with Fayette County, and areas of possible overlap and separation between the two agencies. Williams is the superintendent of Fayette County's Board of Developmental Disabilities and is contracted as the Highland County interim superintendent until April.
"I have found there is some very good talent at all levels of the agency," Williams told the board Tuesday. "I have a greater appreciation for Highland County than I already had. We want to mend fences and build bridges and be good partners in this community. I want the staff to know we're not trying to make Highland County (into) Fayette County. We need you to be you. Sharing services is not a hostile takeover. It's not a friendly takeover. It's thinking about partnering and tapping into the best in both counties. It's about providing the best possible services we can and finding the right people to do that."
Staff members will be receiving a 3-percent raise in 2012, he said.
"We want the honor the commitments made prior to me coming on with the board," Williams said. "To the extent that we could, we did that. These are very tough economic times, and the period or era where we could do business as usual without being concerned about money is gone. We have to tighten belts. In the budget, we looked at core mission items and are beginning to prioritize and look at long-range issues and to look at oneself as an agency."
The facility is "bursting at the seams" in terms of space, and capital improvements are needed in bathroom areas and for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, Williams said.
"Capital hits need to be tabled because we don't have the funding," Williams said.
The board asked what major changes might be occurring, and Williams said that this year there are "no cuts," but they are looking at areas of expenditures and billing.
Williams said they are examining the relationship between the board and Highco, Inc. and that he has been in preliminary discussions with Mike Anderson, director of adult services at Highco.
"I recognize the independence project was put on hold or abandoned, but there is a general philosophy that there has to be an arm's-length distance between the county board and Highco," Williams said.
The board decided earlier this year to not proceed with a proposed independence project for Highco, after a report from Non-Profit Solutions Group concluded that the independence project was not financially feasible at this time. Highco, Inc. has its own nonprofit board that is separate from the board of DD and Hills and Dales, although there are some people who work for the board of DD who also do work for the nonprofit.
Moving forward, Williams said that Highco will receive "less subsidy" from the county board. One example was transportation for Highco, that had previously been provided by the board, will now be provided by the nonprofit.
"The county board and Highco are interconnected, but they are another provider of services in the community. We won't leave them off on their own and saw the branch off behind them, but we need to start talking long-range," Williams said.
Anderson told the board that, "In a way, I am very grateful for the independence project. We learned that we are a business. We are a people business."
Looking at the budget overall, Williams said that it is very conservative, and that when he came on as interim superintendent last month, he told the board he felt there were areas they could enhance revenue.
"This time next year, I think the board will be very pleasantly surprised to find an increase in revenue," Williams said.
Part of that revenue increase will come through internal changes and the implementation of a new table of organization in the staffing structure. Williams said that previously, Hills and Dales was structured so that everyone reported to the superintendent. He is implementing a new structure so there are more breakdowns and department heads for individuals to report to. Those heads will then report to the superintendent. Williams said that will increase communication. With that increased communication, Williams said that the organization will be able to do things like have a better assessment of case management, and of billable hours to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
"Reimbursement for billable hours will make a difference," Williams said. "Right now, everyone does a little bit of everything, and we're not being compensated for all that we could be. These are some untapped funds. Grants are OK ... but this is a consistent funding stream (with CMS). We have to find ways to enhance our revenue."
The structures gives individuals more responsibility, and Williams said he hopes to eventually develop the structure so there are individual department budgets. With more people involved and aware of costs, he said that will help cut down on spending.
However, as part of the table of organization, Williams said that it was determined after "gut-wrenching, sleepless nights and prayerful nights" that there was "not room for" Highco-oriented positions. While there is no job loss, Williams said that it had been under consideration to move certain Highco jobs under the umbrella of the county board. That move would have resulted in more pay and better benefits for certain employees.
"We have a good, organized structure here," Williams said. "We're in a situation to provide the best possible services we can."
There have been discussion, Williams said, on making sure that while Highland County and Fayette County are sharing services, the counties keep their individual funding.
"The (county) commissioners have discussed it, and that's what the taxpayers expect," Wililams said.
The table of organization creates two new positions: a part-time Service Support Administrator (SSA) and an administrative assistant/human resources coordinator.
Regarding the administrative assistant, board member Sam Snyder and board president Linda Allen expressed concern if they should offer the position to a former employee.
Snyder named the employee and asked, "do we have a responsibility to offer the job to her?"
Allen told Williams that former superintendent Chuck Biggert "laid her off."
Williams asked if it had been less than a year and if she was still "on the recall list." Allen and Snyder said that she was, and they wanted to know if they had a legal responsibility to offer her the job.
"Point well-taken," Williams said.
The board voted 4-0 to accept the 2012 budget. Williams said that in regard to the raises, and the new positions, "the funding is there to support this."
Board members Megan Filson, John Fittro and Gary Buchanan were not in attendance.
In other business:
• The board voted to authorize Allen to enter into negotiations with the Fayette County board to create temporary contracts for Lori Moore as business director and Renee Guess as SSA director. The positions are $35,000 annually and will be prorated. Moore's contract will be from Dec. 1 through April 12, and Guess will be employed from Jan. 1 through April 12. The contract for Williams is through April 12, as well.
• The board heard the finance report from Moore and voted to approve it. Moore reported that insurance was bid out, and three bids were received. The lowest was from Doug Wagoner and was a 16-percent increase from last year.
• Moore also reported that beginning in January, the board will begin approving all bills before they are paid.
• Snyder said, "with all the hassle we've had" that in January, it would be a good idea for each board member to sign a disclosure form. Allen said that board members are sworn-in in January and they could sign the forms then.[[In-content Ad]]