Linn County reorganization gets final OK

The plan to reorganize Linn County's services to at-risk children sailed past county supervisors Wednesday morning.

With no debate -- they have discussed the changes in the past with department heads -- supervisors gave final approval to the move to combine the county's Youth Services and Child Development programs under Community Services. Juvenile detention services would also be brought under Community Services, reflecting continued efforts to provide alternative supervision for youthful offenders and their families.

The plan calls for elimination of three full-time positions, including that of Youth Services Director Jeff Lindeman, who's retiring. Two part-time jobs will be added to support the new functions at Community Services.

In a move unrelated to the departmental re-organization, supervisors also approved the hiring of an additional "tracker" for what's now the Juvenile Justice Unit. Trackers work with offenders and their guardians to ensure youth attend school, observe curfew, make their court appearances and follow court-ordered directives, heading off the need for more expensive incarceration at the county's juvenile detention center.