Child placement costs a concern

WALKER -- The Cass County Human Services budget is running as projected for receipts and expenditures at the end of July.

County costs after reimbursements for out-of-home child placements, however, ran at 61 percent of budget after 58 percent of the year. This is despite the fact the number of children in placement in July this year and costs for placement were lower than in July 2001.

So far this year, Cass has spent $1,820,518 to place children in emergency shelters, foster homes, group homes and correctional facilities, with $1,267,212 of that being actual county cost.

Of the total spent so far this year, $900,800 was for children placed in correctional facilities.

Children's services supervisor Joan Helms told the board Tuesday her department is working with law enforcement officers to ensure the policy of only placing children who are at risk to themselves or others or are in imminent danger themselves be followed.

Veterans Services Officer Faye Dudley reported she will begin offering satellite office hours every Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Community Resource Center in Pine River and every third Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Pillager Family Center.

Satellite office hours will be announced next month for Remer City Hall and at Cass Lake.

The county board declined Tuesday to increase, beyond standard policy of a $250 fine and seven-day license suspension, the penalty for Walker Junction having a third violation of tobacco sales to minors.

The board has the option to increase the suspension time or revoke a tobacco sales license.

Commissioner John Stranne suggested the county policy should require employees as well as employers to share fine costs.

Health, Human and Veterans Services Director Dorothy Opheim said any employer may pass on the fine cost to his or her employee or may fire the employee who caused the violation. She said she does not think the county needs to specify who ultimately pays the fine.