All right is 401 we'll go ahead and call this meeting to order we want to welcome everybody to the May 29th Social Service Board meeting And we will call for the agenda has been sent out we'll call for a motion for approval of the agenda. Chairman, move the three jobs agenda. As presented. Second. If you a second, I'll agree all in favor. Let me just say that Mr. King cannot be here. He has another meeting going on right at this time right now. And Mr. Hernandez already informed me that he had a prior engagement that he has to be. But with three of us here, we do have a quorum and we can conduct business. The next call for is a the minutes from last meeting. I've already been set up previous I hope you've had a chance to look over those and when you're prepared I'll call for motion for the adoption of last month's minutes I agree. Everything passes. Ms. Kayle, we have any public comments? No public comments. Thank you, ma'am. At this time, we will recognize Director Hunt. We're glad to have her back with us. I know she's been in training and getting a little bit of rest. So thank you for being back. We will recognize her for the person they report. Thank you very much and I'd like to say to my wonderful staff, thank you for covering me while I was going training and getting vacation leave. I appreciate that. If you'll turn your attention to our personal report this day at 428-2224 and just review that and let us know if you have any questions. It's like that one employee found it able to take some time off. I feel like your time went down a little bit. Oh yeah. And we do our best to try to balance that with workers so they don't get burned out. I'm going to put me to the agency. Good. It is a good thing. Ms. Kayla is still sending out the notices though. Hopefully we can get everybody in place. One day y'all'll report. We fully staffed. It's coming. Anything else on that director? This time we'll recognize Ms. Price with the budget discussion. Okay. Everyone has their budget report. We'll be here at the ending April 30, 2024. We'll see on page two your contribution from General Plan for your administrative expenses as it is at 60.49% spending, which is 22.84% under budget. Then on page 4, highlighted is your contribution from General Plan for your programs. We're at 104.56 for six pending which is 21.23% over budget for this period. So we're going to be over budget in our programs. We're already are for the year being foster care And then on the very last page page nine you'll see we're at 74.64% total budget, which is 8.69% under budget. So we are still under budget for the year through April. Hope it stays that way through May, not quite sure because of foster care. But then our finance director, Paul Reuch, is doing a budget amendment for foster care to pull more money out of the contribution from General Fund? We knew when we did budget last year that probably foster care was going to be over. We're just going to have to look at it quarterly, I think, next year. She said to try to make sure we're not over budget. We'll just, if we have to pool additional funds out of the General Fund, they will. But they're going to look at it quarterly next year. Is that because you're not paying families? No, that is separate from the families. That's it. I mean, it is there. I mean, that has an increase too, that we're paying the families. But this is due to less foster homes. We have more foster children in care. You know, we're having to go out of the county. And it's a hard rate. But if you look, I mean, we're receiving the right amount reimbursement. It's just, it's just more cost. I mean, we only budgeted 400,000. I think it was and we're already spending over 800,000 in state foster care. You'll see that's on page seven. We only budgeted 400,500. Your actual risk with your today total is 835. So we've already spent $45,000 over this year. And just in state foster care. So then if you look at foster, or for a year down near the bottom of the page, we've already spent $985,000, $1,033,000 budgeted. So we have a hundred and how many ADA? 85 children in the facility and we're taking more So yeah it's just a hard thing So anything in particular that's like a common factor that we're seeing standing out with the new. With the new bed here? With the new, for the shoulder knee to pick in. Oh, I have a different, just various. It's just more key, it's a pretty other than the these shoes. We have been seeing some issues with housing. We've ran into a few of those. Our fortune circumstances, but we're trying to work through those. They're not cookies and cookies for that. But sometimes it's just houses situations. And everyone's in light. I'm listening to MoTail. Can't afford the cost of living. The price that is to pay rentals now. I'm going to do our best to work with them because it's going to cost the county a lot more money But those kids to come in foster care so we don't put children in care Basel poverty We we figure out things to do, but if it slides over to neglect, then we don't have a choice. Like if it was cold outside and they didn't have any a verdict. To go, we wouldn't have much of a choice. So we do our best to work with them. And to answer your question, just one or the thing on the drug screenings. Mr. Goddard, I think you had a question on that whether we could intercept those from our clients. I told you I'd get with Josh on that. He says, short answer is no. Long answer is to intercept, they will be have to be a judgment of some sort and even being not everyone can intercept. He says more so. It's a barrier that the court sees as a reasonable effort and we require the screens that we pay for the screens. That's the general rule. These parents are almost always, um, indigent. So they would never be able to pay anyway. So even in chapter 50 court, whatever, I don't know with that chapter 50. Is that the child's board? OK. Children's room. Yeah, it's mostly courses. OK. The requesting party pays for the drug screen of another party. And then he says, and my last thought on a policy note, the Fed state don't even want us to pursue child support. So I'm letting him know who have any further questions. I can send you this email if you need me to. That's okay. I'll be at the court. I'll be right. Okay. It's helping anybody else at the court. It's always a thing because sometimes the court system, some folks like they have to pay for their interlocks system. There's a lot of stuff. We don't want it to be such a barrier that it does not end up supporting the child. But we always want to bear the brunt of the costs. I can say the short answer maybe we have to. Yeah, absolutely. So the short answers know, but the definite answer is not none. No, that's not the definition. And then even when you come, if you even ask for some type of restitution, the judge has to agree with that anyway. But thank you for following up with me. Well, and the clients that are probably struggling anyway when drug issues are from other things. I don't understand what you're saying, but the short answer would be out just, not that big a part of the budget. Not as big a part of the budget. I don't have anything further if you think about less than that has a question. No thank you and thank you for the explanation that you put in the report for the budget discussion as to why line item though with like you say gas cost tires cost you got to pay that employee to go and sometimes it falls into time, time and a half. So hopefully, you know, as far as over all budget, the lines that we can control, we try to control that with foster care and that type of thing. We don't have any control over it. So it is one of these. So if we can get more foster parents. That's right. Yes. Yeah. That would be a good thing parents. That's right. Yes. Yeah. That would be a good thing. Thank you, Ms. Price. At this time, we'll recognize direct to Hunt for the service report. All right. So if you look at the services report, it stated April 2024. And just review those numbers. Tell us what you think or if you have any questions about those numbers. We'll be happy, provide some explanation and says we're doing the service report. Would you know that Tiffany has some things to do for her grandson today, which is pretty awesome. And she already had this date picked out before we decided to put this on the calendar. So she will be leaving for the meeting so far, but she's going to do her part first. Family first, family first. Yes. It's bad that the CPS report and the screens have went up again. And if members serves me correct, too bad, by the time they do go up in the summertime. That's right. That's correct. And you may see more in June, July. Yep. We'll leave it in your I'm going to go ahead and do that. Rick, we'll leave it in your control. You want to turn it over to Ms. Dodg. You go ahead and do that. That way she's not late for her grandsons even. That's right. All right. So you were going in? Sure. So adult services, I don't have a lot to report on them. Things are going well, but for the social work side, with the partners collaborative, we were awarded a $2,000 grant to focus on safe sleep. That's because we know that we had a fatality in the state came in and reviewed records. You know, the SS done everything we were supposed to do. And the only thing that we were asked to do was to educate the community about safe sleep and what that looks like. So we did put in for grant for safe sleep. And what we are looking to do is to get a mobilized crib and to get the schools, the robotics teams to help us build that crib and to move it from school to school for kids. So the kids can see as well as to move it to different places if it's a building, A, D, S, building, B, building, C, you know, to the health department just to move it around so that people can see actually what it looks like, what safe sleep looks like. So we did get that $2,000 grant, and we are excited about that. So now we just got to get a lot of your packet, mid-ears, and to focus on say sleep. Of course, Jennifer, is it possible that you could incorporate that into different community events at times? Oh, absolutely. Okay. We could take the crib and roll it with us. Even churches, churches everywhere about even setting them up at churches and just letting people look at it, read them on the screen, and we just wanted to flow around the community so that everybody knows. It goes up when you name some of those events you're talking about. I'm thinking back from prior history of being an investigative, some of the cases I had to investigate of overlaying stuff like that community needs to see this. So that I can still remember every baby that I've seen dead. And it is not a good sign. Thank you for the collaborative and whoever did the work to get the money. Yeah. I'm going to write that. Yes. Awesome to write that. It's a beautiful grant. And I like how you're going to partner with the robotics team. That was a great idea. Yeah. So I think we'll get started. All right. Now, children for adoption. And 30 and they went to 33. And children ready for adoption are they imposed to care for us? Yes ma'am. And these are kids that are legally free. Children are available for adoption means they are legally free and they're just not legally free and they're just just legally free. So that means that we have went through the process to terminate the rights of the parents. Yes ma'am and then we start the process of looking for them up for ever. Hmm. What age range are those? It can range from, it can go up to all ages. I'm not really sure exactly what ages we got right now, but I mean, I'm sure it's a all a pat on the back. And I thought you was going to talk about it. What was it called? The FOP of FOP. FOP FOP. FOP. Oh my goodness. What I know about FOP, and I don't know if we need to circle back right, it was beautiful. Wasn't nice. Yes. What tell us about it? I'm just like, I don't think we had a meeting since then. No, we haven't. No, but that was because this has been recorded. We need folks to know about this. Absolutely. And then Miss George is bringing it up. We've got 33 key ins available for adoption, for their forever homes. I mean, it was a great event. Your staff did tremendous in your absence, well attended, and then just to hear the stories, the biggest thing that I took from it was shared parenting. Absolutely. It is needed and it is much. I mean not many but it's new for a lot of people to hear like. I reported in the last year. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Just miss George about several people and we are so appreciative of that. That was thinking. Yeah. Consider and we appreciate that appreciative of that, that was thinking, yeah, consider it and we appreciate that. And it went very well. We had a lot of people in the room had, like I said, we had the foster parents that came and spoke. It was beautiful. And so yeah, it's hard. Share a parent can be hard. And I'm sure that's probably what they share with you. The people come and be like, we don't know about that. but I like how they gave that information to the truth. You know, share a parent and sometimes like, no, I don't want to do this, but it's about the child. Yes. So it was, it was a great event. I tried that really good. And for our viewers, F-Pop represents foster parent outreach programs. So we have recognized that we cannot do this work alone. Right. That we need to reach out to the community and find other people who are willing or someone that will teach one. So the motto was each one reach one. So that's gone well. Okay now you stop. We are tracking data so we're going to see what this looks like in about a year to see where we are. May of 2024 to May of 2025 to see what's made the difference. How we can track it, so we can keep moving and getting my foster home. I think what scares some people now is they have a problem and I like that when the pastor there talked about the connection how he had to hold the baby to his chest. Oh yeah, I like that. I know our baby. Yeah. Very much. I'm very scared. I know a lot of people have. Oh absolutely. Yeah. That's true. It's sad. Yeah, which is the reason why you bring people together so that they can hear their stories because what they're nervous about, someone may make them feel a little bit more comfortable to venture out into the foster parent's world, hopefully. And we're looking to do more with F-pop this year. We're looking at a less taco about it. Have a little taco people come in. Let's talk about F-pop. We're looking to hopefully do like an event in the park where Frank's a lot. We'll have some hot dogs. So we're looking to really boost it up this year. Like you know not just in May but just to really boost it up this year, not just in May, but just to really get out of the community. So we're excited about that. And like I said, the stories and the information that we shared by the current foster parents and the former foster parents, it was true. And another key thing they say, you're not doing this alone. Somebody's a phone call away that will try to help. And the last lady that spoke, I'd never heard of it. The children's net. Home society. Home society. Had never heard of that. Then the next week, I'm seeing commercials about it. Maybe it's already been on TV. Now I was just like, but then I'm like, hey, they were just talking about this. So I'm glad to know that there are different organizations and things in place that can help potential foster parents. So long time, hey. They have my husband was a doctor from there. He's born six. Oh, yeah, they've been around a while. And they are absolutely amazing. Yeah, they are amazing. They even and they are absolutely amazing. They are amazing. They even helped with, before even go to foster care. They have families that, that's in the in-home phase where the kids are still in the home. So, they do an awesome job. Let you know you're not out there by your side. Absolutely. One parent, you know, a foster parent, did he give, gave close to the rough county DS's because in his previous he's bearing with another county. He did not get the support he needed. So we're all for America. That's the day here. I appreciate it that a lot. He did. That's good. He did. Why did you see unit? I feel like we have a great license in unit. We do our best. Waited. I do not have anything else and I appreciate you all allow me to move. We can't have your grandson now. Thank you all so many? Thank you. Thank you. The director's head is back to you. All right. So in law of the director's report, there's a member of an item of understanding that will go right before the notice reports. You guys got a copy of that. So basically, what is happening is just a let the board know. This memorandum of understanding was abrupt to us by the state of North Carolina, I think, in 2019. And it basically says that you must make sure that you are accomplishing the performance measures of each department with the exception of the medical Medicaid. So Medicaid is not part of it, but we don't have to sign off. But what they're doing is they have a, there's policy out there, I'm sorry, a statute out there that says the director of the agency and someone if the county chooses someone from county leadership signs that member random of understanding that we as a department are going to make sure that those performance measures are met. You also need to know that the Reference Association is pushing back a little. And they're pushing back because of the feeling of isolation that you're saying sign on the dotted line. And it feels to the directors and of course we're speaking as an association that if something happens and there's a lawsuit that they could show this piece of evidence that they didn't do what they were supposed to do that they signed off on. So we pushed back on it just a little bit. It is a mandate that we need to sign up, I it. You've seen it. I've already sent it to to St. Garrison and of course the board chair and vice chair as part of the commissioners and they've looked at it. It's basically in policy that we do these things. So we try to do these things anyway. But because it's a mandate you really the mandate says sign it. So of course, to the board, I plan to sign because it's a mandate. And it's policy. But I need you to know that there's still a pushback on it. It's due, June, by June 30th, is when it's due. So there's another meeting that's going to be held because there was what it, one of the things that we discovered as we looked through it, last when I was in training, we discovered that it's taken us back is going in retro. So we didn't feel like that was fair. Yeah, so there's a date in there that takes you back retroactive and so we're signing off them that. So we have asked the entire association to ask the state to change the date before we sign. So that's where we are. Right. So I just wanted you to see what that is that we need to sign. We're not signing anything that's not in policy. And so some directors that were why sign it anyway, because it's already in policy. So that's the problem that they're having with it. But our hands are tied. And a lot of them, they want all of directors to speak to my voice and just not sign it. But everybody's not in that position to where they can refuse to sign a mandate by the state. And I, you know, in talking with Steve, he's kind of sort of with me on that. He understands what the Director's Association is doing and that it's just spying to fight back as an association, but at the end of the day, it is a mandate. As a grown older and a little wiser, I've developed some more libertarian leaning. And like, you know, I want to say, like, you know, you know, mandated by who is it a law or is it like an administrative state kind of mandate, you know, like I think there's a difference there, right? So, yeah. Well, one county took it to their commissioners and got approval not to sign. So, most of the directors just in talking are going to sign because of the mandate that they attach to it. It's an administrative mandate. So most are going to sign. I plan to sign unless Steve or the board tells me different because one of the reasons is that it is a mandate. The second reason is everything in there is in the policy. So we plan to do that anyway. We plan to follow the policy. I think it was 2019. Yeah. It's in there. And then they paused. Yeah. When we started the case, they paused it. They paused it. They paused it. And now it's kept back up. When we started the day, doing the state, DHHS? Yes, Department of Health and Human Services. And state, not federal. Not federal. Not federal. Yes, not division of health benefits. That's why Medicaid's not at all. Right. There's a whole bunch of legalies and verbiage in there. Are we aware of any concerns in there anything that might be sneaking in under? That's, you know? That the one thing is the date. There was a retroactive date that we found at our last meeting. So because of that, we're not signing yet. So we're going to see, and oh, one more thing that they've got it for two years, we only want to do a full one. So we're asking for that as well. So that is why we're not signing it right now. I mean, I don't want to put the county in any jeopardy by not signing a mandate, which is the reason why I brought that up, but I think that the Directors Association, I think they really have us collectively as a group. We have really, really good concerns and questions. And they have tried to make us feel more comfortable by saying, we're with you and not with you. And so if you're with this, then why make a sign this that's already in the policy? Yeah. So that's where we're going. I just want you to know that. And that's, you know, why? And, D.A. I think some of the things that you mentioned to me is some of the concerns is we have needs from the state that they're not delivering, but they're putting all this in writing that we must deliver. And that director's association is really fighting hard. One of those is security. We don't have security training. We don't even have a manual webinar trainings. And that was on the director's phone today. But several things like that. The partnership is not going both ways. And that's the concerning that this on DHHS and we're told they're puns. I wanted to say this funding tied to it. I don't the funding is federally mandated. So it says nothing about withholding funding because if it did, I'm sure the other county probably want to have done that. And I think that's the whole foundation of it. Why do this if it's just, I mean, you read it. It's the performance measures. We're doing those anyway. We just don't feel supported by the state. And we're wondering if this is a sneaky way or in this great way of when something goes down, of holding us accountable to take care of it. Because, and I don't know if I'm going to say this exactly the correct way, so I'm going to say that up front. North Carolina is one of the states that, and the word is escaping me, and I think that's why they're doing that. They're one of the states that are not, does not have immunity. Like, as a Department of Social Services, we have immunity if we're doing our job, unless something is, unless we're breaking a federal law. But if we did something and we did it in good faith effort to help one of our families and we were sued, we have immunity because we were just doing our job. But years ago, the state did not take immunity and they felt like that was in their best interest. So something happened, they can still get sued. We can't. And I think that has a lot to do with it. We'll have to do, I'll do some more research and write it up for you so you'll understand it for the next meeting. But this is what came out, this is what I learned in the training. We had the same person that did our training. Yeah, it's the same one that I didn't realize the state didn't I mean it did you know that? I had I had no clue until the meeting. Is that just a child? Well, well, well, well, they decided years ago that they that they would not because because when they did that they're cat at a certain amount that a person could see them. And they felt like that was back then, they felt like that was easier, that was better if they were only cat at a certain amount, you know, because sometimes states, you know, there's millions, you know, there's a county and I mean, there's public knowledge, Cherokee County, because that's public knowledge, so I'm not saying anything. So yeah, they were sued. And so, butokee County, because that's public knowledge, so I'm not seeing anything. So yeah, they were sued, but the state, and they stood the state as well, but there was a cap because they're not, they don't have the same immunity. So I'll find out more about that because I want to get it actually correct, but I do know that the state, they can be sued. We have immunity unless, of course, and there's these different areas, and I might even get Kristen to do that for us because it was a great training. I mean, excellent. And this is how we knew that. So that's why we're wondering about that, about the MOU. I feel better signing something if I know there's good reason for it. I didn't realize that it was some of these states where this stated minister, the S is, I mean, so she's sorry. Yes, yes, yes, sit on the count. Yeah, yeah, and we are, and we are counting, you're right, and we're counting it right and we are counting it. So yeah. I will agree to write up you some more information on that just so that you understand it better. And I think to Joseph's question, I think that is where we are. Your having us to sign something for what? And what are you giving back to us for signing this? What kind of support are you giving us? And if I understand you correctly, it's not just, rather for county sand, this is the association of the Justice Director. That's correct. So we're just joining with them of other counties that are saying okay we're going to do what you're saying we've got to do but we don't like it and because of the mandate that they put behind it. I would have been encouraged to use this as an opportunity and the association of those lists of things that we need from the state. Do they have any given us? You want us to be in a cooperation together, but these are things that we need to know, and cooperation goes to waste. Yeah, that. And they said yes, no, maybe on some rides. Yes, yes, they did. They are working on that right now. So as you see, that's why I don't plan to be one of the ones to not sign. But I do plan to be one of the ones that stay until the end until we can see what we can get from this day. I didn't print all of it for everyone just because it was so much paper. I was writing a couple copies of it. Okay. So, but yeah, that's all the MSD use stuff that was in the agenda. Yeah. I know there were like there were a lot of time left like a lot of attachments for that. Whoa. Yes. If you need it, we can get it email to you. But like I say, the last few attachments are more like PDF looking files of what they're saying they're going to do. But when you first begin to read the first couple pages That what goes into like this came in I think 2017 41 2018 2019 states says okay, we're gonna make it we're gonna put this in the place But they really didn't do nothing because all of a sudden you hit the two years of COVID And so now it's coming back up. So it's been out there a while. But now they're saying, okay, let's move forward and everybody like, why? And I would really support it. I was very encouraged stressing, you know, if the HHS has made any changes since then, they need to highlight it. There needs to be not buried in 500 pages or whatever. It needs to be clear what exactly if anything was changed since then that we're agreeing to. One of the things that they've done that I have to give this day credit for is, they have been to our directors meetings. They have answered those tough questions. They've been there. They know how we feel. They have assured us that there are partners, but they're not finding anything. And I think that's kind of sort of where we are with that, but they've been there. They've been to most of our meetings so that they could answer those tough questions. And then I think the part of the drawback, this is due in June. By June, I think it's due 30. It's due, but Juneth, because it becomes effective in July. But there was a retroactive date in there. I don't know if they really meant for that to be, or if it was just a date that was in there. But one of the directors found it during our meeting. And we have sent the response back to the state about that. And the other response was We don't understand this for two years We you know we sign it we'll sign it for one and then we'll just determine whether we need to sign another one for the next year Instead of doing it and it by any and I know why they do the two years because it's by any of them and it just kind of You know rolls with everything else that's this and by any of. So I feel like that's why they went there with that. But because it's controversial for us, give us a year. We'll see what happens in the year. It was crazy about that. Their first line, say, is all counties are required annual. But then as you're reading down through there, they want you to sign a two year. But when it was first put in the place, it was supposed to be annual. That's right. And we're having our killing campaign. Yes. Well, we have we have fought back. And again, we have several, this is, let's just stand as one and let's all decide, not decide. And again, we're state supervised county ministers, so your county might not allow you to do that. I've had the opportunity to work with many good state employees at the North Carolina government level, so I know there are good people. There are. Don't mean a bash like everyone you know but we're not we're bouncing that Emily. There used to be a good reason though when you when you mandate something especially you know obviously if it's not long it's not a you know the reference session loving but I mean we might get to a point because it's not only the DSS has to sign it. County, somebody from County has to sign it. It could get to a point, DSS signs and County says, we're going to be the ones that stop the ball from room. So we do our part and everybody swinging at the same ball. But I'm not signing until it's time. Sometimes you've got to stop and pause and think before you know just rubber stamping something right especially when you know we're dealing with human lives. There's gotta be ramifications if you don't sign you man they something. Well that's why we made sure that Steve had a copy of it. So he's got the copy and we made sure that the board chair had a copy and of course we put it on to be reviewed here. And so we have another meeting, both for Jim Thurdy and our board meeting so we can talk about it one more time. You guys are up ahead of that. our board meeting so we can talk about it one more time. You guys are okay with that. You will see where we are. Yeah, let's just see where we are. I don't want to put any more work on you, I can hunt, but if you have someone, maybe it's our attorney, I don't know, like, I know there's something in there that raises concerns, but you should know about that. Richard, Josh has a copy as well as our county attorney. He was on the email with Steve, so he's there. He's on there as well. He is aware. And if I heard you correctly under Section 13, the responsibilities of the department, you said you all got that in place already. The performance measures, right, candy, all of that's in there. Yeah, and we made all of those. It's a within under the EMOU before. And the only time they really say anything to you, I think if you fail three in a row or so. But our representatives, they question you on it, every night, if you're behind or if you're below one. And most of the time you can just give them a reason and they advance that. We're definitely not have the reputation of a problematic county. But there are some. And the state has had to come in and take over. So that is an issue and maybe it's directed more toward those tight counties. So I don't mind. But I definitely say the concerns. Mm-hmm. Thank you, Candie. So at least you know where will you over more time? Does it have time to reveal more time before it's time to sign. Thank you, direct. So you welcome. Is there anything else for service reports? Up until that point. No, the service report. No, just a couple of updates for next. Miss Bridges? Okay, I just wanna start out by reporting some senate news from our department, which I'll wear that we've all sent in for you and for your nutrition and the form. The Titanic is the, I don't know if you saw the missing person report that went out with your brother for a count. Yeah, it's my fault, it's all right a kill. Yeah, it's a lot of stuff. So it was just a very frequent that happened. It was very puzzling. She signed out at 2.40 one day and she just never returned. And until she passed away in Texas, hit in a bridge on the 11th. So it's a mystery. There's a lot of unanswered questions. The staff think it very hard. She was a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful person. She didn't tell anybody she was leaving. She didn't take anything. We, someone did a missing person report. The Sheriff's Department got on it very quickly, gave us updates of where she was cited and somewhere in Shelby, then Tennessee, then Texas, and then just kind of run around in Texas for two or three days. Her girls, they live in Texas, but she never made contact with anybody. She left her cell phone at home that day. It's just very strange. And she has children, grandchildren. So it was a big loss. It was very regramatic for the staff. But Dee worked with a children director and we did get some of the boy-assisted program that came in and was there for the staff. And then once we found that, she actually passed, we had them here on Monday. And I think that really did some healing. I've never lost an employee. That was the first I've lost. And it was just very tragic, it's awful. And I think just all the answer questions. Her father's come by her ants come by. But they just don't know. We just don't know. And it went well from the weekend. So this happened on the Tuesday. So it was difficult to work during those days. I mean, then it went into the weekend, and then it was Saturday morning that we learned. And so then that was Saturday and Sunday, and then Monday, you know, people are back at work, it's just to process. So it was a tough week, I would say. Yeah, very tough. The investigation is still open. I don't know. I really don't know. We hear bits and pieces from she's got family there. She's got family here. So unless we hear through the room or mail, we don't really have a direct contact with anyone. Imagine it would help our staff, including you to know like if it was help play. You know, something like that, right? They are doing an autopsy, but I don't know who I would hear the outcome of that. And share with them what they're doing to just for some closure. Oh, OK. So they're going to, we asked her how to memorial service the Saturday that she passed. We came up here that Saturday, just made it the SAS and got fortunate to be coming on this and just praying, you know, it talked about her, that was nice. And then they're gonna do a fly war and some kind of little garden out in the Wiccala patio area of Wilming City just, you know, to get some closure, I think they're gonna get a plaque with her picture on it. That's where she took her breaks. Oh wow. Everybody so yeah I thought that was great. That's just a sweet person. So I don't know. We just want to know you know what happened. Yeah. Well, the thing you have to remember, y'all worked so hard to take care of other people. Make sure you take care of yourself. And I thank the county that I believe they did a good job of that. And we gave the staff time to heal, and engrave, and talk. I think we handled it the best we could. And we've heard a lot of great feedback from the staff. Very appreciative of how we handled it, and having Sarah Homer, kind of Sarah, and talk to the staff staff so they were very appreciative. And this is my first experience with this, but she kind of gave a feel of what it's time to live on. And she said you would, but I've never really dealt with that. How long had you been here? She started as a team. It's about a year and a half. Wow. She had a lot of close friends outside of here that worked with the baby, so it wasn't just the work person, but that's the ones that were affected by this. And then that same week that happened, we didn't come maintenance week where I think I told you I was going to do a lieu out theme. We had flowers everywhere and it was really fun though we had chicken grilled and brought food in and just we had drinks made and I'll find this stuff but anyway it was it was a dark time for a lot of them but they they're light in the mood as well to be able to serve them and honor them that week. So we did that. And the only other thing I really have to report, everything that's going pretty well, I just wanted to let you know our Medicaid expansion numbers. We're up to 3,400 inch community. And remember our goal, our estimated goal was 44,054 so we're at 85% at this point. Yay! So, isn't that amazing? It's a hard work coming back. And I was looking at the provider report. I'll bring that next month for you guys. I always want to see the amount of Medicaid dollars that went out of 2023. I finally added that monster report up. I hate it. But it did have Medicaid expansion on there for December. It was like 171,000 paid out for December. That's first month we started. But it breaks it down by category Medicaid. But I'll bring that. It's over 100 million that's paid out. But I'll bring that next month. I'll say it. It's just the dollar amount that's associated with it. I always like it to kind of see that. And the work. It brings work to our county. And hopefully it's going to keep people well so that they can work. But we've got a big change in Medicaid. Our chief of Medicaid is resigning. She's been retiring. She's been doing a long time. So a little bit worried about our future leadership in Medicaid. She's been a great job. So full scary. And ever since she said that, she's been in my, she's taking time and it's been quiet. So there's teleports out there that were not being told about. Oh wow. It's been quiet. So there's telewashing out there that we're not being told about. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Can I have a small one? Anything else? Good. The record is important. That was my MOU. Oh, yeah. So, and I just have anything else that hasn't been shared. I'd just like to say that we just have a wonderful staff. I just want to keep them as long as I can. Nobody can leave before I do. No, no. Yeah. Just a quick, either one, I think the commissioners may end up voting. Kind of commissioners may end up voting on the budget. This coming Monday, yeah, pretty sure. Did they cut much out? We still looking pretty good. We hope. I didn't get to see anything that we asked for. Uniposition for increases. I know. Today, everything else. So all the work, because everything's being recorded that we're doing with all the work that our workers are doing, all the money that's coming into this county, I hope that they realize how hard y'all are working, your staff is working, and to not maintain, yes, but they cannot just increase everybody else and not increase department social services. Thank you for joining me. Yeah, they are. Yeah, they are. They're taking over $2 million out of fund balance. Yes, ma'am. They're giving a few raises, but. And I know this board has always been very careful since I've wanted to be on it. Look, if there's anything that looks like is not necessary, we cut it out of our request. I've seen that for the record. Yes. Yep. So, Lincoln, so when folks start fussing because we're over budgeting one item, but if you've got to keep working your workers to get the work done, and you're not going to add workers to less than the work so me and Joseph not doing so much they have to understand that also. Does that make sense? It does. We're giving us an increase but it's just an increase to cover the Medicaid expansion piece salary so that's where that is. There was a few reclases that they did give us which which is minimal, I mean, just bumping people up just a little bit, but no new positions and none of our increases that we wanted in supplies or travel or any of that. So we know that inflation's hit and so, when I tell you pants is stickler And she she manages that money well, so I will normally say Can we get an increase here? This is what I look for and I look toward her expertise and if she feels like It's not a good idea. She tells me and I listen But so we don't do anything that's frivolous. We don't. So, you know, we're not going to put it out there. And even the stuff that before it goes to anywhere else it comes to us. And we look at it and we determine what we can cut from that. And then it just gets cut. Then that little bit that we feel like, okay, we can't, you know, we really need to have this. But, and you know, and I understand part of it is that we don't have, where's the money coming from? I mean, but I do want to say for the record that Paula, I find it straighter and Steve Steve normally they'll work with us. If we do have anything out of the ordinary, but I mean, I don't think that they're funded any new positions maybe one that was in the budget for the whole county as far as I, as far as what I read. I was at the meeting, but. Well, I'm really blessed to get out of 12 Medicaid positions. So we did, you know, get out of 12 Medicaid positions so we did you know we got the 12th okay if y'all smile and ask my I mean you know right now the challenges just getting them up and trained and seeing what that levels of I did move one of those positions of food and nutrition to kind of offset a little bit but when Medicaid levels, I may be short there, but it's a lot of the Rubits Cube in the coming, it's that always has been. I'm constantly shifted, ain't I? I mean, it's just that, but I feel very fortunate with those 12 positions. And I brag about our commissioners all the time because we're one of the few counties that got all of those positions approved. That is not a joke. There's a lot of counties that are really suffering. There's still suffering, right? And we just put it together. And I give candy credit for that because she had to decide on what was needed and basically we came up with a what do you call it? A plan. Yeah. I tried. It's two and a half hours of sleep. You did. Yeah, right. Oh my gosh. Yeah, so we came up with a plan. I'm trying to decide what word that is where we look for. Analysis data. We did analysis. with a plan, I'm trying to decide what the word that is where we look for analysis data. We did it right now. Proposal. Yes. I'm going with proposal. I can Joseph. We can't put the proposal that. I would proposal. I would propose. I was class queer. Yeah, but and candy helped me present to the commissioners. That's what candy. Well, it makes me feel good because I guess what I was asking, you know, you asked for this and you said, well, we didn't get it. But long as you still feeling supported by county, that's wonderful. But I'm not going to be in my department. What's saving us is being able to use temporary workers. So when I asked for positions, we still have not been able to feel the positions due to the increase in our food nutrition program. But I've been able to offset that with temporary staff. Okay. So that's saving us and food nutrition. And we've got some wonderful tents that are happy, just began to dance. That's really vital. And we've got some, like I said, wonderful. And they're doing more of the clerical type stuff. So I was able to shift those income maintenance case we're supposed to do on actual eligibility where 10x staff can't do that. So that is a saving, that's the same grace and food nutrition. It's not that those positions are not needed. They are needed as full-time positions but we're we're we're just managed the best we can with the TEMPSAP. As long as we've got TEMP money, so that's a thing. I imagine you're doing this so apologies it seems like it really really good opportunity maybe they're at either this is their stepping stone right now somehow I got some that just want to stay there yeah they just want to stay there they're retired yeah do a great job yeah but I have had said that coming like I'm thinking like they know about like a task for kind of full-time we have a lot that comes from our energy program. I've got one right now that's helping Medicaid and she's doing fabulous and we probably have her as a permanent worker. Yeah, I would love to get on me and a lot of that because I already familiar with NCFAS. Director anything else? No. I, the last thing I want to say is we appreciate our board and your support. I cannot tell you how great that feels to be supported and to be trusted. Thank you for trusting me to do this job. So I will continue to do it with the help of the staff the best way that I can. Mr. Jordan, do anything? I'm good. Mr. Mone. I'll call for a motion to a join. I agree.