By Branden Bieber – April 27, 2022
You can only begin to illustrate the mismanagement of Del Norte County in the allotted three minutes given by the Board of Supervisors for public comments. This Boards proven history of expanding Government and Economizing a “Welfare County” is illustrated in their continual rubberstamping of Consent Agenda Items. Pay raises, multi-million dollar contracts, health ordinances, drug deals, new positions, proclamations, and agreements are approved without discussion. Who lives in a reality where 99.9% of recommendations are approved?
I tried to illustrate the irresponsibility of such actions during the April 26th BOS meeting (sorry to my family, for probably making a fool of myself.) During my comments, board members continually interrupted me. And, when I presented facts to their mismanagement they turned off my mic. They didn’t want to hear that DHHS has three times as many employees as any other department. Or, that in the last ten years DHHS has expanded 33%, while all other departments have seen less than a one percent increase.
Wanting the board to consider the impact of approving line item #7; (“Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Agreement with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.”) I talked to a couple Supervisors after the meeting and they appeared not to have read the agreement they just approved
They hadn’t read the scope of work that allocates $180,000 to an outside contractor, so I read it for them. They thought is was comical the agreement only specified providing an assessment for a plan. After reading the Scope of Work to the Supervisors, they left with the comment of “That’s Government.”
The approved agreement contracts with “Human Potential Inc.” for Intellectual Properties for treating Mental Wellness. At the time of approval, the contract was already 42% completed, and two months deficient in work performed. View the agreement here, especially the scope of work (Attachment D, pg 61.) AgreementwithAdvocatesforHumanPotentialInc.DHHS495760.pdf (dnco.org)
Only a mismanaged Government would continue to create new DHHS positions on top of hiring an outside contractor for a “plan.”
While I still have a backbone, I will subject myself into the foolishness of our local government.
You need to put a group together and get time on the BOS Agenda to discuss these issues.
For example, DHHS is the county’s largest department and some of the funding for it (such as part of the CalWORKs funding) goes into the general fund and the county can utilize it in almost any way they choose.
In addition, DHHS needs a complete overhaul. It has proven time and time again that it is incompetent. But the fact is those BOS members do not care or they would have taken action long ago. I spoke to my BOS member, and they are unwilling to do anything because of all the $$$ it brings in and the BOS does not want to put any funding in jeopardy by taking action that the State of California may have to get involved in.
Until we vote in people to the BOS that are willing to take the needed actions, nothing will change.
Branden has asked for time in writing, at public comments, and in person. How often does he need to ask for the discussion of the actions of the Department of Health and Human Services at a Board of Supervisor’s meeting before that comes to pass?
Time for Branden to put pressure on the BOS (as there is an upcoming election) via letters to the editor in the Triplicate and the Times-Standard, talking to local media, and if needed public protests outside the BOS meetings (covered by local media).
An election year is the best time to get something accomplished.