Davis County proposes new community services division to manage 'code blue' winter overflow

Davis County leaders on Aug. 12 reviewed a proposal to reorganize how the county manages winter overflow and related homelessness functions, recommending creation of a Community Services division inside the Community and Economic Development (CED) department and changes to three staff positions to run the program.

Kent Anderson, director of Community and Economic Development, described the plan as a phased response that begins by moving existing responsibilities into a new structure and could expand later if the county needs a facility or other permanent resources. "This is a follow-up for our May conversation," Anderson said, describing the effort as meant to keep economic development focused on its core mission while giving homelessness and winter-overflow responsibilities a clearer home.

The proposal would create one new position — a community services manager — and retool two existing posts: upgrading the housing coordinator into a housing-and-homeless coordinator and adjusting the grant administrator’s grade and duties. County staff said those three personnel changes are the core of phase 1 and would remain adaptable as needs evolve.

Why it matte…