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McLeod County adopts Mental Health LAC bylaws after debate over stipends and meeting frequency
Summary
The board approved bylaws for the McLeod County Mental Health Local Advisory Committee to formalize operations and statutory compliance after discussion about whether stipends belong in bylaws and whether meetings will be quarterly or monthly; the county attorney and HHS staff explained funding and oversight.
The McLeod County Board on Aug. 4 adopted bylaws for the county’s Mental Health Local Advisory Committee (LAC), formalizing committee structure, membership requirements and oversight after several commissioners raised questions about stipends and meeting frequency.
Health & Human Services staff said McLeod has operated an LAC for some time but did not previously have formal bylaws. County Attorney Hench said the attorney's office reviewed the draft and recommended changes; he noted the board had asked for this review at the May meeting. Commissioners pressed whether a stipend provision (described in discussion as roughly $50 plus mileage under IRS guidelines) should be included in bylaws or moved to county policy. Hench and HHS staff said the stipend funding is drawn from a Title XX/VCAA block allocation rather than county levy dollars and that grant terms often require stipend language to appear in governing documents to permit payments. The draft was also corrected to reflect the committee meets quarterly rather than monthly.
Commissioner Dahl and others expressed concern about what would happen if grant funding ceased; HHS said the county, as the mental health authority, would reexamine the structure. Commissioner Schmaltz moved adoption of the bylaws; the board approved them by voice vote.
