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CASS COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES BOARD MEETING <br />November 7, 2022 <br />MINUTES <br />With quorum present, Chair Bollinger called the meeting to order at 1 :00 p.m. <br />Present: <br />Absent: <br />Presenter: <br />Commissioner Duane Breitli ng; Commissioner Rick Steen; Carey Fry; Dan Madler; <br />Gail Bollinger; Michelle Kommer; Brian Hagen; <br />Julie Haugen <br />Gail Bollinger, Zone Director; <br />I. Approval of Minutes <br />Commissioner Steen made a motion to approve the September 6, 2022, Board minutes. <br />Commissioner Breitling seconded. Motion carried. <br />II. Data Summary <br />Board members were provided current statistics regarding staff turnover, which is currently <br />at 37% for the year. Economic Assistance and Family Services have the highest rate. Adult <br />Protective Services is comprised of four staff with the most recent staff being hired over a <br />year ago. October was the highest month for hiring. Chair Bollinger explained they have <br />taken on some emergency temporary workers who have done some of the work in the <br />past and are willing to assist under contract. This is beneficial as there is little to no training <br />involved as they have done the work before. Currently, both the Family Services and <br />Economic Assistance Departments are each down ten employees, for a total of 20 for the <br />Zone. Chair Boll inger explained other Zones are having similar struggles. She plans to <br />discuss this further with legislators when she meets with them in Dece mber. <br />The Zone Board was provided a Family Services Recruitment and Retention Plan handout. <br />Chair Bollinger reported Zone Administration's new approach to recruitment, including <br />revamping postings and making them more visible in online searches. Samantha <br />Duitsman, Executive Staff Officer, and Heather Collins, HR & Operations Administrator, <br />have been working on the new hire orientation meeting as well as making the onboarding <br />process more efficient and streamlined. Changes to the process will continue to be made <br />as needed. <br />Ill. Program Updates <br />Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) began accepting applications for <br />the season on October 1, 2022. Board members questioned what the limit was to qualify <br />for this program. Chair Bollinger stated each program has different criteria for eligibility <br />and would be willing to provide that information at the next meeting. Chair Bollinger <br />reported there will be in increase in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, which <br />has not changed in many years. Ms. Fry explained this will put the program in a better <br />position to assist more families that qualify. <br />Chair Bo lli nger reports having provided the Family Service Retention and Recruitment Plan <br />to North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (NDDHHS) for the request of <br />eight additional full-time equivalent (FTE) employees for Family Services. Some of these <br />new FTEs would include an additional Child Protection Services (CPS) Supervisor, two CPS <br />staff, and two trainers for the department. It was asked if the Zone brings on interns and