Members represent each of the 7 magisterial districts in the county. An 8th member is an at-large member and a member of the Hanover Board of Supervisors. Staff members include the director of Social Services and the clerk of the board, who are non-voting members of the board. Legal counsel from the County Attorney's Office also is present in a non-voting capacity.

Terms of Service

Members serve 4-year terms and may serve no more than 2 consecutive terms, unless they have filled an unexpired term. In that case, the unexpired term does not count toward their appointment time.

Purpose

The Social Services Advisory Board is composed of 8 members: 7 members who represent their magisterial districts and are appointed by their Hanover Board of Supervisor members; and 1 at-large member from the Board of Supervisors. According to the Code of Virginia, §63.2-305, an advisory board has 5 charges:

• Display interest in all matters pertinent to the public assistance and social services needed by the people of the jurisdiction served by the local department
• Monitor the formulation and implementation of public assistance and social services programs by the local department
• Meet with the local government official who constitutes the local board at least four times a year for the purpose of making recommendations on policy matters concerning the local department
• Making an annual report to the governing body or bodies, concurrent with the budget presentation of the local department, concerning the administration of the public assistance and social services programs
• Submit to the governing body or bodies other reports that the advisory board deems appropriate (Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Social Services, Local Board Member Handbook, March 2012, page18)

Board members also are expected to function as liaisons with community partners and as public educators (ibid, page 19).

Scope

The Hanover Board of Supervisors approved the move of the Board of Social Services from an administrative board to an advisory board on June 9, 2010. This decision was based on the county's and the department's desire to assist each other during difficult financial times and due to the county's awareness that many other jurisdictions of similar size had moved from administrative to advisory boards. Ordinance 10-13 became effective on July 1, 2010.

Type

Citizen, Board

Further Information

Board members receive $250 per month.

The department's main telephone number is 804-365-4100.