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Advisory board members raise transparency concerns about local Community Service Coordinating Body
Summary
Several advisory board members said they had limited visibility into the Community Service Coordinating Body's membership, meeting minutes and funding; members asked staff to bring more information and suggested inviting CSCB leaders to present so the county can assess whether public funding or oversight is appropriate.
Members of the St. Clair County Health Advisory Board spent part of the March 1 meeting questioning the Community Service Coordinating Body (CSCB), a regional network several members said coordinates nonprofit and county referrals across the county.
Board members reported minimal public documentation on the CSCB, asked whether the organization receives county funds or dues, and whether its steering committee and full membership operate with public transparency. One member said the body appears to be a large interagency referral network; another said the committee's minutes and agendas are not widely posted.
The board did not take formal action but discussed next steps: requesting more information from staff, inviting CSCB co-chairs or staff to give a presentation at a future advisory-board meeting, and considering whether county support or funding warrants additional public oversight or reporting requirements.
The board emphasized it would do research before any action and that, if county funds are involved, commissioners and staff should determine the appropriate level of public accountability and reporting. Staff offered to forward materials that had previously been shared with a county commissioner and to invite CSCB leadership to present at a future meeting.
The advisory board also noted the CSCB has subcommittees covering topics such as housing, substance-use prevention and adolescent services and that many county agencies participate; members requested clearer public documentation of governance, dues and staffing for the body.
