Public fiduciary describes caseload pressures, asks to extend benefit‑specialist position

The Coconino County Public Fiduciary presented its caseload and staffing needs to the board on May 6, asking the board to extend one limited‑term position and noting operational pressures tied to benefits processing and increasing referrals for court‑ordered investigations.

Public Fiduciary Rashida (name provided in the meeting as the county public fiduciary) described the office’s core responsibilities: acting as court‑appointed guardian or conservator for incapacitated adults (the seriously mentally ill, developmentally disabled and elderly), serving as rep payee for Social Security benefits, and managing indigent decedent arrangements when needed. The office reported it currently serves approximately 120 guardianship clients and conservatorship roles for about 50 clients; it also handles rep‑payee accounts and manages about 30 indigent burials per year.

Rashida told the board a critical operational challenge is the lead time for initial Social Security applications and benefit determinations: external processing delays can leave newly‑arriving wards without funds for months, creating pressure on the county to bridge basic needs. The office described a recent Social Security site audit cycle and said it passed with no findings. The office also described a successful prosecution on an exploitation case in which the county recovered $40,000 in restitution for a client.

To address and avoid such gaps the public fiduciary requested a one‑year extension (through 06/30/2026) of a limited‑term benefits‑specialist FTE that has been handling high volumes of benefits work; office managers said the position provides specialized intake, initial applications and ongoing reporting to federal and state agencies and that 1 staff cannot sustainably cover the current caseload. The county manager recommended a one‑year extension of that limited‑term position; supervisors expressed support and asked staff for follow‑up on budget details.

Rashida also requested an increase in the indigent‑decedent cremation payment to local mortuaries (from $750 to $1,100) to reflect inflation and regional pricing; she told the board she had surveyed peer counties and noted other counties pay higher amounts. The board asked finance staff to provide a short analysis of impacts and a proposed payment method.

Quote: “We are serving the county’s most vulnerable clients; benefit delays and rising exploitation cases have created operational strain,” Rashida told the board.

The board did not vote on a multi‑year change but approved the manager’s recommended annual budget increments on the consent agenda, which included the manager’s recommendation to extend the limited‑term benefits specialist for one year.