The Greene County Board of Commissioners on Thursday authorized Beth Rubin, director of Jobs and Family Services, to sign intercounty agreements that allow regional counties to shift income maintenance allocations and other state general fund dollars among counties in Region 7.

Rubin and county staff told the board the intercounty arrangements let counties transfer available allocations to avoid returning unused funds to the state and to maximize the region’s use of limited state resources. County staff said the transfers can move funds into children services, child support, and other allowable funds after they initially arrive in the county’s public assistance account.

“...it allows instead of counties ever turning money back to the state, it allows us to maximize those dollars that are brought down,” county staff said during the presentation. The staff presentation clarified that these are state general fund dollars and that the transfers are an allowed administrative mechanism in the region.

The board moved and seconded a bundled motion authorizing the director to sign intercounty agreements, to transfer income maintenance allocations, and to transfer child, family and community protective services allocations. Commissioners voted by voice to approve the authorization.

No statute numbers or detailed contract language were cited during the discussion; county staff described the practice as an established regional administrative process. The staff presentation noted the county sometimes gives and sometimes receives allocations from partner counties based on need and that a running tally is kept among partner counties.