Clarion County commissioners appoint interim CYS leader

CLARION – Resignations in the Clarion County Children and Youth Services departments led to a flurry of appointments this week by Clarion County commissioners.

The resignation of CYS director Todd Kline was approved effective Jan. 10. Commissioners also approved the repositioning of Teresa Holdren into the vacant position of interim CYS administrator.

The Clarion County Salary Board created the position of interim CYS administrator Tuesday prior to the regular commissioners meeting. It is a full-time position with a stipend of $250 per week during the transition period.

The salary board also reclassified the position of casework manager 2 into the position of training program specialist. It is a full time position with a salary range of between $41,079.20 to $47,639.28.

The resignation of caseworker Michael McDonald was accepted effective Dec. 6.

The CYS loan is the lowest it has been since May. For several months earlier this year the county had loaned the fund more than $1 million, but that amount has fallen to $300,000 this month.

“We just got caught up with a lot of different funds,” said county Treasurer Tom McConnell. “A lot of that was money was from 2018-2019. We still have other funds to catch up on but it will probably be a some time before we see that money.”

That is a great improvement from the point the county started the year when the county loaned CYS more than $1.1 million. McConnell said at that time the loan had cost the county about $20,000 in lost interest.

Ideally, the county expends the money, which is then reimbursed by the state.

County Commissioner Ed Heasley said “It is another unfunded mandate.”

The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) had lobbied for the restoration of money cut from seven key human services in the 2012-2013 budget. That did not happen.

CCAP also sought increased state funding for county children and youth agencies struggling to deal with increases in referrals and workloads following nearly 30 new child welfare laws enacted in 2015 as well as the impact of the opioid epidemic on families and children.

McConnell said the cost of CYS is about $500,000 every quarter.