Adams County HHS discusses Practical Sense thrift store operations, truck replacement and case manager staffing

Adams County Health & Human Services discussed operations at Practical Sense, the county’s thrift store program, focusing on storage, potential replacement of a box truck, and staffing needs to support trainees.

Staff said storage issues have eased in winter months and noted that donations surge in summer. During budget discussions staff had proposed replacing the box truck but recommended collecting more usage data before purchasing; the budget currently includes funds to rent a truck if needed and staff signaled they will consider formal pickup policies before committing to a purchase.

Supervisors pressed on staffing and finances. The department said the proposed case manager position remains under review by risk strategies and that the majority of Practical Sense work for that position would involve CCS clients whose services are billable; staff said they expect the position to be fully funded through billable activity but did not provide a full cost breakdown. The meeting record indicates roughly 20 trainees are served but the transcript does not specify an exact hourly wage for all trainees; staff said many trainees earn at or near minimum wage and that wage reporting to Social Security is performed to avoid benefits impacts.

Committee members expressed concern about how unexpected costs or complex clients could affect budgets and were told the county maintains a fund balance to manage unanticipated costs. No formal procurement decision was made; staff will return with additional data and proposed policies for donation pickup and vehicle use before purchase decisions.