Commissioners grill social services over funding program

COMMISSIONERS GRILL SOCIAL SERVICES OVER FUNDING PROGRAM
DSS officials: participation is mandatory

By Jon Mayhew

LINCOLNTON -- At least one Lincoln County commissioner grilled Lincoln County DSS workers over
the mandatory federal Work First program Monday night in commission chambers during what was supposed
to be a request for funding for the program that serves about 160 families in Lincoln.

And while commissioner Jim Klein led the way in questioning the funding for the program, commissioner
Bruce Carlton's questioning took a more terse -- and at times testy -- tone with program supervisor Candy Wilcox.

At one point, upon learning the county's share of supporting the program was around $477,000 and that county
funding of the program is mandatory, Carlton tried to make a joke of the matter.

"With these kind of numbers, the program can give each family a check for $10 thousand to
ride them out of poverty," said Carlton.

Klein's questioning took on a more sincere, inquisitive tone than his colleague. Klein said there needs to
be defined goals for work first.

"For the money we're being asked to invest, we need to see whose working and whose not," said Klein. "The return
on our investment needs to be in dollars and cents."

Commissioners learned that only state goals are necessary for the work first program; the Lincoln program, according
to county manager George Wood, is trying to "go above and beyond the call of duty."

"County goals for the work first program aren't mandated," said Wood, adding commissioners needed to make
a decision on the funding. The deadline for Work First's plan for 2010-11 is Oct. 31.

Surprisingly, commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of the Work First funding, with commissioners Anderson, Carlton
and Patton voting for and commissioners Moore and Klein voting against.

The stipulation is that social services provide commissioners with participant information at the
first meeting of November.

"What the county is trying to do is identify participant's skills with local businesses," said commission chairman
Tom Anderson. "With the economic times we're currently in, that's tough."

After the meeting, Wilcox said she felt "beat up." Later in the week, she told The Carolina Scoop
she's received apology emails from a couple of commissioners.

IN OTHER BUSINESS:

--Commissioners heard from Denver resident Rudy Bower regarding soil erosion in the Burton Creek
Development, where he's asked the county to come out and move sediment poles further out into the cove. He also
asked county leaders to have developers pay for dredging the cove.

--Commissioners unanimously approved renaming a road in Iron Station to Trinity Farms Trail.

--Approved a lease for a facility at Mohican Mills to house Transportation Lincoln County's offices and vehicles.

The Lincoln County Commission meets 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Mondays of each
month on the third floor of the James W. Warren Citizens Center in downtown Lincolnton.