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Departments press staffing and grant concerns as budget hearings continue
Summary
Multiple department heads told the board they face vacancies and grant changes that affect service delivery — Social Services saw large eligibility vacancies, Probation flagged reduced pretrial funding and asked to reclassify a pretrial position, and Public Health and Library outlined grant-funded program expansions.
As Plumas County's recommended budget was unveiled, several department leaders told the Board of Supervisors the proposed appropriations do not remove serious operational challenges: vacancies, grant reductions and timing risks that could affect services.
Social Services: The acting director reported 41 allocated positions with 14 vacancies, concentrated in eligibility and management roles. The department described a backlog of Medi-Cal and CalFresh recertifications; staff said time-study rules and merit-system job qualifications limit their ability to recruit quickly. Directors suggested short-term contracting for eligibility work that could be reimbursed under Medi-Cal and realignment claims to catch up on backlogs while recruitment and compensation adjustments proceed.
Probation and pretrial funding: Probation's presentation said adult and juvenile grants cover much of the department's work. The Judicial Council notified the county of a reduced maximum for pretrial program funding (~$115,930), requiring the department to split a staff position across multiple grant sources or reclassify a dedicated "pretrial officer" into a probation-based classification so other grants (e.g., SB 678) can contribute. Probation asked the board for direction to allow cross-grant budgeting and to accept written adjustments the following day.
Public Health and Library: Public Health described growth in senior meals, harm-reduction trainings and veteran-service benefits, and proposed removing two duplicate health-education positions (net FTE ~45.49) while adding program capacity funded by grants. The library reported the Bookmobile and a new literacy grant that will require a supplemental budget; the board agreed the grant should be added once documentation is provided.
The board and staff agreed to meet offline to document transfer and allocation changes and to return them in writing at the continued hearing Sept. 16. No final budget votes occurred on Sept. 15. Departments were asked to submit written backup for any supplementary grant or transfer requests so changes can be made in a balanced manner.
Provenance: Department presentations and on-the-record Q&A occurred throughout the Sept. 15 hearing; staff indicated several items (grant supplements, pretrial budget changes) would be returned to the board on Sept. 16 with supporting schedules.
