I am writing in response to The Post-Journal’s recent editorial commenting on a legislative resolution to create a time-limited subcommittee to look more closely at Child Protective Services issues of concern. To clarify the situation as it relates to the formation of a subcommittee by the legislature, I am including additional and related information.

Child Protective Services (CPS) Caseworkers confront some of the most heart-rending situations imaginable: children who are sexually and physically abused or being left uncared for and living in squalid and dangerous conditions. The Chautauqua County caseworkers and supervisors do this work for all of us and the children of our county every day. Every serious child endangerment case you read about or see in the news is followed up by a CPS caseworker who will visit the home the next day.

As a county legislator and member of the Human Services Committee, it was concerning when a series of County Child Protective Services caseworkers and a supervisor began attending the County Legislature and the Human Services Committee meetings close to six months ago. They returned to meetings every month, detailed troubling work circumstances, and expressed concerns that they were being overwhelmed by cases and that they were not able to ensure that children, especially in Jamestown, could and would be protected.

One of the important roles of the Legislature is to ensure that the programs that it funds with taxpayer dollars or approves to be used are operating properly. This is the Legislature’s “oversight” responsibility. The County Charter is clear about the Legislature’s responsibility: Section 2.05 Powers and Duties of the Legislature: (e) “To make or cause to be made such studies, audits and investigations as it deems to be in the best interests of the County, and in connection therewith to obtain or employ professional, legal and technical advice, appoint temporary advisory boards of citizens, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of books, papers and other evidence deemed necessary or material to such study, audit, or investigation.”

The creation of a subcommittee/work group is addressed in the Rules of the Legislature, Section II, B, which provides that: “The Legislature may from time to time create special committees. Any resolution creating a special committee shall specify the powers and duties of the committee and the number of its members.”

In 2022 a temporary subcommittee/ workgroup composed primarily of legislators was created to study the enterprise operation of the landfill. This study included reports on the operation of the Landfill from the existing Deputy & Interim Director of Public Facilities to the subcommittee/ workgroup. At the conclusion of the study of the landfill, the subcommittee made recommendations and proposed a resolution for the creation of a Landfill Commission for vote by the legislature.

This situation with our Child Protective Services workers requires us to renew our commitment to this oversight responsibility. The Legislature needs to ensure that this mandated service, and this all-important program is properly functioning and protecting our county’s children – and the health and safety of our employees.

This temporary subcommittee should be created and have goals as determined by the chair of human services and other members of the committee, and the action steps could look something like this:

— Identify concerns, as reported by CPS Employees to the legislature and Human Services Committee, that are within the oversight responsibility of the legislative subcommittee.

— Ask for the help and collaboration of the CPS/SS Leaders to go over the actions completed by the CPS Leaders to address the concerns identified throughout the county.

— Investigate the remaining concerns and collaborate for possible solutions.

— Look at the costs and benefits of the possible solutions

— Make and prioritize recommendations for further actions

— Set up a plan for updating the Human Services Committee on progress after the completion of the sub-committee

The County Executive and the Commissioner of Social Services and Mental Hygiene have been working to address the CPS concerns that they have identified. The Chair of the Human Services Committee has focused on the CPS issues in two separate committee meetings. A temporary sub-committee would work collaboratively to focus on the issues of concern and to work for collaborative solutions.

Susan Parker, a Fredonia resident, represents the village, Pomfret and a portion of the city of Dunkirk in District 4 as county legislator.