Mendocino County Municipal Code Ch. 2.40 Social Services Department

A. Department of County Work is hereby created, to be known as the Mendocino County Social Services Department.

(Ord. No. 251 § 1, adopted 1936.)

There shall be a Director of County Social Services who shall be the executive officer of the County Social Services Department and who shall administer all work of said department. The Director of Social Services shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure and will of the County Chief Executive Officer, and shall perform those duties and responsibilities assigned by the County Chief Executive Officer or assigned by the Board of Supervisors acting through the County Chief Executive Officer. The Director shall have the requisite qualifications and experience necessary to enable him properly to discharge the functions of his office and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 251 § 2, adopted 1936; Ord. No. 4151, adopted 2005.)

The general powers and duties of the County Social Services Department shall be as follows:

(a) To organize and administer adequate relief for the indigent or dependent poor and indigent sick, State and County aid to the needy aged, needy blind, needy orphan, half orphan, abandoned and other dependent children, and all other noninstitutional relief dispensed or provided by the said Mendocino County;

(b) To disburse or distribute such funds or goods as shall be received from private or government sources for the purposes defined in this Chapter and to administer any trust declared or created for these purposes, in accordance with the terms of such trust;

(c) To cooperate with other departments of County work in the maintenance and supervision of a County work relief program;

(d) To cooperate with other public and social welfare agencies and societies of the County, State and Federal Government;

(e) To maintain a modern system of records on County relief cases and relief expenditures;

(f) To cooperate with the County hospital, the County almshouse and the County jail, and to assist the heads of those institutions in matters of investigation and social service.

(Ord. No. 251 § 4, adopted 1936.)

In addition to, and independent of, the powers and duties conferred by any or all of the foregoing sections, the Mendocino County Social Services Department is hereby designated as the County agency to administer unemployment relief funds made available by the State Relief Administrator and the State Relief Commission as provided by Article 16, Section 10 of the Constitution of the State of California, and Chapter 675, California Statutes of 1935, for the relief of hardship and destitution due to and caused by unemployment within Mendocino County. Such funds whether from State or Federal sources, shall be administered as follows:

(a) Any moneys made available by said State Relief Administrator and said State Relief Commission, whether from State or Federal sources, shall be deposited in an unemployment relief trust fund in the County Treasury, which trust fund is hereby created, and said moneys shall be expended in accordance with the laws of the State of California under the rules and regulations established by the State Controller. The conditions of eligibility for relief shall conform to the requirements fixed by the State Relief Commission and the State Relief Administrator.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 8, adopted 1936.)

(b) Such personnel of the County Social Services Department as will authorize or in any manner commit the expenditure of moneys in an unemployment relief trust fund shall be approved by the State Relief Administrator and the salaries of all personnel paid out of said trust fund shall be approved by the State Relief Administrator.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 8, adopted 1936.)

(c) The County Auditor shall pay only such claims against such unemployment relief trust fund as will be authorized in a list of authorized expenditures compiled by the Relief Administrator and furnished said Auditor by the State Controller.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 8, adopted 1936.)

(d) The County Social Services Department shall furnish such reports and maintain such records with respect to the administration of said unemployment relief trust fund as may be required by the Relief Administrator and the State Controller, and all such records shall be open to the inspection of the Relief Administrator and the State Controller, or their agents or representatives.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 8, adopted 1936.)

The Director is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint and employ such assistants, trained social workers, clerical and stenographic help as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the affairs of the department, upon the approval of the Board of Supervisors, and to pay salaries authorized by the board. Such assistants, social workers, clerks and stenographers shall hold office at the pleasure of said Director.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 3, adopted 1936.)

The Social Services Department shall avail itself, insofar as possible, of the services of existing County Departments and County employees where the services of said departments and said employees can be rendered to said Social Services Department without interfering with their ordinary duties.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 5, adopted 1936.)

Application for relief made to the Board of Supervisors or any member thereof shall be referred promptly to the Department for investigation and recommendations.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 6, adopted 1936.)

The department shall file with the Board of Supervisors monthly a report of work done and shall render for the approval of the board a written statement of expenses incurred and relief claims against the County with a list of additions, deductions and changes.

(Ord. No. 251, Sec. 7, adopted 1936.)

The duties of Public Guardian are hereby transferred to the Department of Social Services. The Director of the Department is appointed to the office of Public Guardian.

(Ord. No. 3725, Sec. 3, adopted 1990.)

The duties of the Public Administrator are hereby transferred to the Department of Social Services. The Director of the Department is appointed to the office of Public Administrator.

(Ord. No. 3727, Sec. 1 (part), adopted 1990.)

The duties of the Veterans Service Officer are hereby transferred to the Department of Social Services. The Director of the Department shall appoint the Veterans Service Officer.

(Ord. No. 3727, Sec. 1 (part), adopted 1990; Ord. No. 3728, adopted 1990.)

Pursuant to authority granted by Government Code Section 27643, the County Counsel may act as attorney for the Public Administrator when County Counsel elects to provide such representation. In those matters where County Counsel furnishes representation, the County Council shall collect the attorney's fees allowed by law and pay them into the County Treasury.

The Board of Supervisors hereby ratifies and affirms any payments made to County Counsel when County Council was acting as attorney for the Public Administrator prior to the adoption of this section.

(Ord. No. 3907, adopted 1995.)