Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
Tuesday night, the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved $304,182 from the county’s contingency fund to the Department of Social Services, to balance the department’s current budget shortfall.
According to county Finance Director Dan Leydet, the department’s shortfall came as a result of unexpected out-of-home child placements at a cost of $204,000 with the remaining amount coming as a result of an error in projected revenues. The board also approved the filling of two vacant case worker positions within the department Tuesday night, at 40 hours per week.
In other matters Tuesday, the board unanimously approved the appointment of former Merrill Police Chief Ken Neff to the Pine Crest Board of Trustees; term to expire Dec. 31, 2020, as well as the unanimous ratification of new-hire Jason Hake to the position of county Administrative Coordinator, which was vacated by Randy Scholz last month. Scholz is now serving as County Administrator of Chippewa County. Hake will bring accounting experience and five years of employment experience in county government to the table. His first day of service is set for April 9.