Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Intergovernmental Agreements topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners table DHHS MOU, cite district-managed DSS and request legal review
Summary
The board voted to table a proposed MOU with the Department of Health and Human Services after the chair and other commissioners said the document appeared written for a county-managed social services department rather than a district DSS; they asked legal staff to review and seek revisions.
Rutherford County commissioners on July 8 voted to table a memorandum of understanding with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services after members said the document appeared to assign county administrative responsibilities that belong to a district-level Department of Social Services.
The chair told the board he was "a little uneasy about this document," saying the MOU repeatedly framed duties as county responsibilities and listed administrative tasks commonly performed by DSS employees rather than county administration. "It seems to be written for a county government where DSS is a department of the county," he said.
Commissioners and county staff urged legal review of the MOU and recommended sending it back to the state for revision to reflect Rutherford County’s district-based DSS governance model. County manager Steve Garrison said the language could imply county-level signatory responsibilities that may not be necessary if DSS retains its district governance and that legal counsel should determine whether any county administrator would be required to sign.
The board adopted a motion to table the MOU for further consideration, legal review and possible modification before taking action.
The chair and staff said they expect to work with the county attorney and the Department of Health and Human Services to clarify responsibilities and return with a revised document for the board’s consideration.
