Rutherford County DSS reports staff hires, budget shifts and dwindling disaster-rental funds

The Rutherford County Department of Social Services (DSS) reviewed personnel additions, budget changes and program updates at a department meeting where staff warned that some emergency and rental relief funds are nearly exhausted.

The session included introductions of new staff, a financial report showing lines both under and over budget, discussion of foster-care placements and a service update that covered adult protective services and changes to Medicaid and summer food certification periods.

Miss Price, presenting the financial report, said the department’s “contribution from general fund for [administrative] expenses is at 71.74%,” and that overall the total budget was “at 73.78%, which is 9.55% under budget.” She told the board that a budget amendment had shifted funds into foster care so the department would not finish the year over budget.

The report singled out a one-time professional services invoice for the department’s single audit that pushed that line over budget; Miss Price described it as “a little over $30,000.” She also flagged temporary salaries and…