Minutes 05/23/2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 23, 2023 Ayes: Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover Nays: None 23 - 185 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting overtime funding in the amount of $223,025 from the Virginia Department of Social Services and appropriating said amount in the FY 2023 Social Services Fund Budget for the processing of Medicaid and Child Care cases. Background:  The Portsmouth Department of Social Services determines eligibility for multiple state and federal benefit programs including SNAP (formerly food stamps), Medicaid, and Child Care, and receives funding from state, federal and local resources.  The Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Department of Social Services jointly administer the childcare assistance program with the Department of Social Services to determine eligibility for clients. During the Covid public health emergency, policies and eligibility requirements allowed more people to have access to child care assistance, which has increased DSS caseloads and the number of clients receiving assistance. Therefore, the Commonwealth of Virginia is providing localities with overtime funding to assist staff in processing these extra cases.  As an additional result of COVID emergency policies, processing of already existing Medicaid cases paused. The Department of Social Services has developed an unwinding plan to process all Medicaid cases that were paused during the emergency period within the next 12 months. The Commonwealth is also providing overtime funding to assist DSS staff in processing these cases. Discussion:  The Virginia Department of Social Services is providing overtime funding to assist with the processing of Medicaid cases that were not processed as a result of the COVID- 19 public health emergency.  The Virginia Department of Education is providing overtime funding to assist with the processing of Child Care cases.  The acceptance of the funding will assist DSS staff in processing cases and meeting the needs of clients in the community.  The proposed ordinance appropriates overtime funding anticipated to be received from the Virginia Department of Social Services for Medicaid cases ($187,025) and Child Care cases ($36,000) for work performed from May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2024. Financial Impact:  There is no local match required for the funding. Recommended Action:  Adoption of the ordinance. Next Steps Following Council Action:  Finance will make the appropriate budget adjustments. Motion by Ms. Lucas-Burke and seconded by Mr. Tillage, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE ACCEPTING OVERTIME FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $223,025 FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT IN THE FY 2023 SOCIAL SERVICES FUND BUDGET FOR THE PROCESSING OF MEDICAID AND CHILD CARE CASES.” Ayes: Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover Nays: None 23 - 186 - Adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to approve a change order totaling more than 25% of the contract price of the construction contract with Conrad Brothers, Inc. for exterior renovations and HVAC improvements to the Elm Avenue Neighborhood Facility.