Roads, mental health and seniors focus of next El Dorado County BOS meeting

There will be three presentations at the next El Dorado County Board of Supervisors meeting on June 20 that pertain to fiscal year 2017-18 budget. They are required to approve it by June 30 each year.

"Every year, the County’s Chief Administrator provides a Recommended Budget to the Board of Supervisors for their consideration," said Chief Administrative Officer, Don Ashton. "It is but one step along the path to having an Adopted Budget approved by the Board in September.”

Presentations are scheduled as follows:

9:00 a.m. – Senior Legal Services
10:00 a.m. – Road Work Plan
11:00 a.m. – Mental Health Services Act

At 2:00 p.m., the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss and approve the FY 2017-18 Recommended Budget, including any changes that result from the morning session.

Details about these three service areas in particular will be discussed so the public and Supervisors have a deeper understanding of what is being recommended in the County’s overall budget.

“Since the release of the $536 million recommended spending plan, there has been some concern about the recommendation to save taxpayers $250,000 by changing the way seniors receive legal services,” Ashton said. “To underscore the reasons for the recommendation and how it would be carried out, this item will be presented individually. It’s important to remember in the discussion of senior services that senior nutrition and adult day care services are being increased under this budget.”

In a memo to the Board of Supervisors on June 8, the Director of the County’s Health and Human Services Agency, Patricia Charles-Heathers, recommended coming in line with the practice of every other County in California by contracting out for the services currently provided. “Services would still be provided at the Senior Center site…with HHSA serving as the Contract Administrator,” Charles-Heathers explained in the memo.

Road conditions are typically among the areas of greatest interest to County residents. As a result of the combination of damage done by a record-setting, prolonged winter and some of the County’s 1,080 miles of roadway meeting the end of their safe usage, some roads have reached critical condition. The Board will review a prioritized list of repair and maintenance projects.

Finally, the Board will hear a presentation about the Mental Health Services Act (Prop. 64) budget. Law requires that the three-year program and expenditure plan for this Act be presented as a stand-alone item to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

“These are certainly challenging times for the County, but this budget was developed to be compliant with state mandated programs, services and Board policies and be consistent with the Board’s priorities and the County’s Strategic Plan,” Ashton said.

The meeting will be held in Board Hearing Room at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA. It can be seen live at http://eldorado.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx