CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Although she is not retiring until February, long time director of human services Kay Rupert and Clarion County Commissioners are working on the transition of leadership within the department.
“We’re going to miss Kay and the work she did for Clarion County over the years,” said Clarion County Commissioner Chair Ted Tharan.
Rupert said the transition process started last year.
“We’ve been working on the transition since last summer when Todd Kline was promoted to Children and Youth Services (CYS) Director, and I’ve been meeting monthly with HR and the commissioners on all of the transitions and duties and making sure everything is in place,” said Rupert.
All of Human Services, including CYS, are loaded with heavy regulations from the Commonwealth that need to be followed to receive state funding.
“In terms of funding issues and financial oversight, Sandy Ion, now back in county employment, is doing all of the human services fiscal work and that certainly has eased that part of the transition as well,” said Rupert.
Tharan earlier expressed concerns about state funding issues, pointing to the possibility of cuts in some programs. He had also asked for approval to cut mandates programs.
“We are no closer than we were six months ago,” said Tharan. “We always ask them for an exemption from mandated programs, but they probably won’t do that. They’re tip-toeing through the tulips right now because they have to watch what they’re doing.”
The State Senate has approved a revenue package, but the House apparently does not like the suggested package. One house suggestion looks at unused balances in some accounts could be treated as revenue, but it appears like that would likely be a one-year solution and just be kicking the preverbal can down the road.
Items related to the new county office building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Liberty Street were also discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.
Approval was given for using a dozen Verizon utility poles to string cable for telephone and IT services to the remodeled building at a total cost of $60 per year.
Tharan announced that the inside of the building would not be painted Mauvette as previously stated. He said the building’s likely tenants — County Probations Offices and District Judge Duane Quinn — would be picking the colors for the former Goodwill and Golden Dawn building.
Tharan and Commissioners Wayne Brosius and Ed Heasley approved the following items:
- Approved a new contract on behalf of Early Intervention with Access Abilities, effective Sept. 1, 2017, thru June 30, 2018.
- Announced a new $2,000 grant on behalf of MH/DD with Service Access and Management (SAM) on behalf of the Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural PA effective August 1 to September 29, 2017.
- Approved contract amendments for Human Services and Children and Youth Services related to lease charges for the Human Services building on Seventh Avenue elated to the office changes in connection with the pending retirement of Human Services Director Kay Rupert.
- Proclaimed National Preparedness Month during September 2017.
- Commissioners received two Requests for Proposals Reviewing for auditing services for the accounting office and will review them and take action at the Sept. 26 meeting.
