VIDEO: County Board Split on Social Services Committee

It wasn't the most comfortable Rice County Board of Commissioners meeting Galen Malecha has ever attended.

The District 2 Commissioner on Tuesday proposed a Social Services committee to examine the future of the county department as it continues to work through a backlog of requests.

Malecha told Patch that he was surprised when Commissioner Steve Bauer outright declined joining him on the board because of "negative feelings." Commissioner Jake Gillen was reluclant to join the committee but eventually did, saying he will serve until the end of the year. The two will be joined by county staff.

Malecha says the commitee is no different than the many other committees the county has to help steer departments and programs. 

Be sure to check back Saturday for the full video interview with Malecha about Tuesday's meeting.

The push for the committee follows months of criticism of the county's social services department, which has  with meeting state requirements for deliving services to residents.

County food support cases have increased from 997 in December 2007 to 1,654 (3,500 recipients) in February 2012, according to county records. For health care, cases increased from 916 in December 2007 to 3,925 (6,623 recipients) in November 2011, and family cash program cases increased from 72 in December 2007 to 310 (879 recipients) in November 2011. Overall, the department’s caseload more than tripled from 2,117 cases four years ago to nearly 6,500 in 2012.

In June, the county voted 3-2 against hiring  to help with the social services backlog. Commissioners later approved hiring two social services workers.

Also in June, commissioners voted to back out of a planned 12-county .

MORE ON THIS

• Rice County board denies social services hiring -- for now

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