Dodge, Waseca move toward two-county MNPrairie option

At a joint meeting in Waseca on May 20, representatives from Dodge and Waseca Counties expressed their support for continuing with the Minnesota Prairie County Alliance (MNPrairie).
On March 25, Steele County commissioners passed a resolution in favor of terminating the three-county Joint Powers Agreement and dissolving the human services provider. That would have required either Dodge or Waseca County to do the same.
That looks unlikely, as Dodge and Waseca commissioners have agreed to go back to their respective county boards for approval to move forward as a two-county human services provider.
While there is also a withdrawal option outlined in the JPA, Steele County representatives have stated they are not interested in pursuing it. The option would require the county to continue fulfilling legal and fiscal obligations for an additional three years, while forfeiting voting rights on the joint powers board.
On April 24, the MNPrairie Joint Powers Board met to discuss the potential for dissolution. As a next step following that meeting, the Dodge and Waseca County Administrators were to coordinate the May 20 combined board work session to discuss the two-county option.
The MNPrairie executive director and finance manager, along with administrators and financial managers from both counties, met on three occasions to review data and develop a recommended organizational structure and budget.
MNPrairie Executive Director Tara Reich explained that, as a smaller entity, MNPrairie will serve fewer people. Therefore, the number of employees can be reduced to align with the needs of Dodge and Waseca counties.
Having fewer staff directly impacts the number of supervisors they will need, so a reduction in supervisory staff would be appropriate.
Based on expenditure data, Steele County expenses equated to more than Steele County’s 46% cost share. Therefore, it can be assumed that a two-county MNPrairie would see a decrease in program costs, as they will no longer supplement Steele County.
Shared financial risk is a benefit of a combined agency. Human services, especially those related to child out-of-home placements and adult commitments, are unpredictable and very costly. MNPrairie having the ability to disburse these costs over a larger budget results in a decreased impact to counties.
Reich also explained possible staffing scenarios.
Scenario one would maintain the current structure of five program managers, eliminate two Full Time Equivalent (FTE) accounting supervisors and add one FTE fiscal officer, eliminate two eligibility supervisors, three adult and disability services supervisors, two child and family services supervisors, two child support leads due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio, one office support lead due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio, and shifts executive assistant and operations analyst to Human Resources to align with assigned duties.
Scenario two would combine one adult and disability social services manager and one child and family social services manager into one FTE social services manager, shift some management-level duties to social services supervisors, and add one social worker lead position in both adult and disability and child and family given supervisors will have additional tasks assigned.
This scenario would also eliminate two FTE accounting supervisors and add one FTE fiscal officer, eliminate two eligibility supervisors, three adult and disability services supervisors, two child and family services supervisors, two child support leads due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio, one office support lead due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio, and shifts executive assistant and operations analyst to Human Resources to align with assigned duties.
Scenario three would eliminate one income and healthcare assistance manager, one adult and disability social services manager, one child and family services manager and add one deputy director. Some management-level duties would be shift to supervisors and add one social worker lead position in both adult and disability and child and family given supervisors will have additional tasks assigned.
It would also eliminate two accounting supervisors and add one fiscal officer, eliminate two eligibility supervisors, three adult and disability services supervisors, two child and family services supervisors, two child support leads due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio, one office support lead due to the decrease in supervisor to staff ratio. Executive assistant would shift to human resources to align with assigned duties.
Dodge County commissioners were to meet next on May 27; the next Waseca County Board of Commissioners meeting is June 3.