Commissioners discuss county's general relief fund

As the responsibility of distributing general relief funds has been shifted from a state agency to counties, local officials are working to introduce pragmatic policies.

"We've run into situations where there's basically two forms of general relief that we've been dealing with, and with the transition from [Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services] over to counties, we've just been ironing them out as we go along," Paul Schaub, Cheyenne County attorney, told commissioners this week.

For anyone seeking assistance for burial costs, rent or utility payments, there's an application that must be reviewed during a county board of commissioners meeting. For the funds to be granted, certain criteria must be met.

For people who find themselves stuck in Cheyenne County and broke, the county also maintains an emergency relief fund to help them continue their travels – with a warm meal, gas money, or in some cases, a hotel room.

But currently, those requests must also be approved by commissioners, who only meet twice a month.

In both cases, the county is considered an "organization of last resort," and people are encouraged to first seek financial help from family, churches or other groups, Schaub explained.

"The problem we're having is with emergency relief for indigents and their needs," the county attorney said. "Someone who is in the county and can't move on."

Schaub suggested commissioners introduce a protocol to authorize the sheriff's office – which operates around the clock – to provide a certain amount of emergency relief.

"The sheriff's office wouldn't administer the entire program," he said. "Those of non-emergency nature would still go before the board. But someone who needs immediate assistance and can't wait around for the board to make that decision, I'm thinking the county should be able to delegate some authority."

Board chairman Darrell Johnson said it's usually just a matter of a few gallons of gas and food.

"So we just need to put that in a procedural form and vote it?" he asked.

Schaub said he would draft a set of guidelines and present them to commissioners at the next meeting, scheduled for 8 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 16.

The board unanimously voted to table the discussion and return to the matter once the document is written.

In the 2014-15 fiscal year, while $20,000 was budgeted for general relief – for both emergency and non-emergency situations – only $8,220 was spent. In the current budget, $23,100 has been allocated for the fund, and since July, $5,500 has been disbursed. More than half of the money spent in the current fiscal year has paid for county burials.