Kent County Local Management Board

(Private Sector - 3 year term)

Zita Seals, 06/28/25 Teverly Swinson, 10/31/23
Annie Woodall, 09/30/23 John Schratwieser, 09/30/23
Wanda Boyer, 06/30/25 Jamie Barrett, 06/30/25
Samantha Rivera, 06/28/25 Terrence Moody, 06/28/25
   

Date indicates expiration of term.

Governmental Agency - No Term Limit

Shelly Neal-Edwards, Dept. of Social Services, Chair Kathryn Dilley, Mid Shore Behavioral Health
William Webb, Kent Co. Health Dept. Vandrick Hamlin, Kent Co. Public Schools
Lauren Scearce, Dept. of Juvenile Services, VIce-Chair Jillyn Coleman, Kent Co. Parks & Recreation
John Price, Commissioner Liaison  

 

Rosemary Ramsey Granillo, Director, KCLMB
400 High Street, 2nd Floor
rramseygranillo@kentgov.org  
Chestertown, MD 21620
(410) 810-2673
 
Jamar Abner, Systems of Care Coordinator and Local Care Team
400 High Street, 2nd Floor
443-480-8048

 

The Local Management Board meets the third Thursday every other month at 9:30a.m.

The Local Care Team every other Tuesday of the month at 1:00 p.m. 

KCLMB maintains the Family Resource Directory where residents can search and browse services, programs, and other community organizations. 

Find other announcements and resources at www.linktr.ee/kclmb  

 

Overview

The Kent County Local Management Board:

The first Local Management Boards (Board) were established during the mid-1990s in an effort to change the way services were provided to children and families in their communities. The Boards were charged with identifying priorities and targeting resources for a jurisdiction’s communities. The major focus was to increase local authority to plan, implement, and monitor children and family services.

Today, the core function of the Local Management Boards remains identifying priorities and targeting resources for a jurisdiction’s communities. The Boards serve as the coordinator of collaboration for child and family services. They bring together local child-serving agencies, local child providers, clients of services, families, and other community representatives to empower local stakeholders in addressing the needs of and setting priorities for their communities.

There is a Local Management Board in each County and in Baltimore City. Local Management Boards have engineered changes in their communities that resulted in a better quality of life for children and families. To date, the Boards have:

  • Led the way in returning and diverting children from out-of-state residential placements;
  • Administered funding for interagency services provided to children at-risk of out-of-home placements;
  • Increased collaboration between local stakeholders and agencies serving children and families; and
  • Served as the coordinating and administering agency for programs that serve the community including School-Based Health Centers, C-Safe, Youth Strategies Initiative, Maryland Afterschool Opportunity Fund, Home Visiting/Healthy Families, etc.

 Kent County Local Management Board operates as a Department of the Kent County Government. For FY23 the Board is implementing a Community Plan that seeks to reduce child poverty in Kent County by 50%. The Board funds programming that provides home visiting services for new parents experiencing poverty, an after school program for middle school students, and support and coordination for students facing chronic absenteeism. The Board's staff convene and facilitate the Board and the Local Care Team.

 FY23-FY25 Community Plan for Children, Youth & Families

 

Code

 Title 8 of the Human Services Article of the Maryland Annotated Code effective October 1, 2007

  • § 8-301. Local management boards


       (a) Required. -- Each county shall establish and maintain a local management board to ensure the implementation of a local interagency service delivery system for children, youth, and families.

    (b) Authorized entities. -- A county may designate as the local management board:

       (1) a quasi-public nonprofit corporation that is not an instrumentality of the county government; or

       (2) a public agency that is an instrumentality of the county government.
  • § 8-302. Membership


       A local management board may be composed of:

       (1) public and private community representatives who share the responsibility for implementing a community-based, interagency, family-focused service delivery system for children, youth, and families;

       (2) a senior representative or department head of the:

          (i) local health department;

          (ii) local office of the Department of Juvenile Services;

          (iii) core service agency or local behavioral health authority;

          (iv) local school system; and

          (v) local department of social services;

       (3) family members or family advocates; and

       (4) youth or youth advocates.
  • § 8-303. Duties


       A local management board shall:

       (1) strengthen the decision-making capacity at the local level;

       (2) design and implement strategies that achieve clearly defined results for children, youth, and families as articulated in a local 5-year strategic plan for children, youth, and families;

       (3) maintain standards of accountability for locally agreed upon results for children, youth, and families;

       (4) influence the allocation of resources across systems as necessary to accomplish the desired results;

       (5) build local partnerships to coordinate children, youth, and family services within the county to eliminate fragmentation and duplication of services; and

       (6) create an effective system of services, supports, and opportunities that improve outcomes for all children, youth, and families.
  • § 8-304. Regulations


       The members of the Children's Cabinet shall adopt regulations that:

       (1) specify the roles and responsibilities of local management boards;

       (2) establish minimum standards for the composition of local management boards;

       (3) establish fiscal and program accountability in the implementation of community partnership agreements and the use of other State resources by local management boards;

       (4) establish procedures to ensure the confidentiality of information shared by local management board members and employees in accordance with State and federal law; and

       (5) generally relate to the operation of local management boards.
  • § 8-305. Annual report


       On or before October 1 of each year, the Maryland Association of Local Management Board Directors shall, in accordance with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, submit to the Senate Finance Committee, the House Committee on Ways and Means, and the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families, a report summarizing, with respect to the programs implemented under § 8-505(d) of this title:

       (1) each local management board's activities;

       (2) the amount of money spent on the programs; and

       (3) the effectiveness of the programs.

By-laws

 

Bylaws of the Kent County Local Management Board

 

RECITALS

  1. By Resolution No. 97-1928, dated May 20, 1997, the Board of County Commissioners of Kent County established the Local Management Board (“LMB”) for Children’s and Family Services of Kent County as an instrumentality of the local government for the purposes of implementation of the policies of the State of Maryland and the Board of County Commissioners as set forth in Article 49D, §2, of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
  1. Section 11 of Article 49D of the Annotated Code of Maryland, which required local jurisdictions to establish an LMB, was repealed pursuant to an automatic sunset provision in Article 49D, §29, effective July 1, 2005. The Governor’s Office of Children, Youth and Families (“OCYF”), established under Article 49D, was abolished pursuant to the same sunset provision.
  1. In June 2005, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. issued Executive Order 01.01.2005.34 establishing the Governor’s Office for Children as a separate agency within the Executive Department to provide a “coordinated, comprehensive, interagency approach to the development of a continuum of care that is family and child-oriented.” The duties of the new Governor’s Office for Children include partnering with LMBs to plan, coordinate, and monitor the delivery of integrated services and assist the Children’s Cabinet in the distribution of grants to agencies including LMBs. 
  1. On June 7, 2005, the Board of County Commissioners of Kent County adopted a resolution re-establishing and reconstituting the Kent County LMB, effective July 1, 2005.
  1. During the 2006 Session of the Maryland General Assembly, Senate Bill 294 was adopted to recodify LMBs under a re-established Article 49D entitled Children, Youth and Family Services, effective October 1, 2006 (Chapter 243, Acts of 2006).
  1. Effective October 1, 2007, Article 49D was reorganized in Title 8 of the Human Services Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
  1. Effective April 30th, 2013 the Board of County Commissioners of Kent County adopted a resolution changing the name of the Kent County LMB to Family and Community Partnerships of Kent County.
  1. Effective October 17th, 2017 the Board of County Commissioners of Kent County adopted a resolution returning Kent County LMB to its original name “Kent County Local Management Board”.

VISION

Equitable access, shared assets, full opportunity.

 

MISSION

Uniting our community to connect and strengthen Kent County youth and families.  

PURPOSE

Kent County’s Local Management Board serves as the primary local structure to design and coordinate strategies to achieve improved results and equity among Kent County children, youth, and families through an effective and efficient system of services.

ARTICLE I

 

NAME AND GOVERNANCE

 

1.01 The name of this Board is Kent County Local Management Board (LMB).  The LMB is the officially designated Local Management Board for Kent County. The organization is an instrumentality of the local government.

 

ARTICLE II

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

          2.01    Duties and responsibilities of the LMB are specified in § 8-303[1] and include collaborative planning and decision making regarding the following:  community goal setting; the direction of public and social policy relative to children and family services; the allocation of pooled funding amounts and interagency resources; contracting with providers to develop and implement new services; ensuring family involvement in treatment planning, and monitoring of State-funded or supported interagency services.

          2.02    The LMB is challenged with the following statutory mandates:

                   

(a)      Strengthen the decision-making capacity at the local level;

(b)      Design and implement strategies that achieve clearly defined results for children, youth and families as articulated in a local 5-year strategic plan for children, youth and families;

(c)      Maintain standards of accountability for locally agreed upon results for children, youth and families;

(d)      Influence the allocation of resources across systems as necessary to accomplish the desired results;

 

(e)      Build local partnerships to coordinate children, youth and family services within the county to eliminate fragmentation and duplication of services; and

(f)       Create an effective system of services, supports and opportunities that improve outcomes for all children, youth and families. 

         

          2.03    The LMB is a planning entity and not a provider of individual direct services.  The LMB shall be engaged in identifying the needs of the county residents and disseminating that information to policy makers and the general public in order to promote improvements in the service delivery system.

ARTICLE III

 

MEMBERSHIP

          3.01    Composition.  The LMB may by composed of public, private, and community representatives who share the responsibility for implementing a community based, interagency, family focused service delivery system for children, youth, and families in Kent County.

The LMB will consist of a minimum of 13 members and a maximum of 25 members – while maintaining an odd number for voting purposes. It is recommended that 51% be public sector and 49% be private sector as defined below.

                    (a)      The LMB has core ex officio members from five public agencies. Ex Officio members shall be composed of a senior representative or department head of the:

  • Kent County Government (a County Commissioner or his/her designee);
  • Kent County Health Department
  • Kent County Department of Juvenile Services;
  • Core Service Agency;
  • Kent County Department of Human Services;
  • Kent County Department of Parks and Recreation;
  • Kent County Public Schools;

(b)      Additional representatives will be appointed based on community needs and / or needs identified in the Needs Assessment

                   

(c)      Private sector members may include representatives from business organizations; civic and neighborhood organizations; community collaborative groups; private providers of employment; vocational services or other human services; family members and family advocates; and religious communities and other individuals involved with children and family issues, such as a member of the early care and education community, etc.  Up to four (4) of the private sector members may be youth.   

                    (d)      The LMB will strive to reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the county; to include current or former service recipients or their families, and to engage citizens from throughout the county.

(e)      Non-county residents shall be allowed to be members if their role on the board is for the purpose of representing an entity, either by employment or affiliation that is located within Kent County.

          3.02    Appointment of Members, Compensation.  Members will be recommended to the LMB by the board development committee. Nominees will then be recommended by the Board to the Kent County Commissioner’s for appointment. The members of the LMB shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for such expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as may be deemed appropriate by the LMB and approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

          3.03.    Terms. 

 

                    (a)      Appointed members shall serve three-year terms and may serve two consecutive terms.  A member who has served two consecutive terms may be re-appointed by the Board of County Commissioners after an absence of one year from the LMB. The terms of the original private sector members commenced February 4, 1997 and were staggered between one and three years.  Henceforth, terms shall commence on July 1.  Youth members shall serve one-year terms (with the option to be reappointed for a second year, as approved by the LMB).

                    (b)      Ex officio members serve by virtue of the position that they, or their designee, hold in their respective agencies.  As such, they have no set term.

          3.04    Resignation, Removal, Vacancy.  Any member may resign at any time by providing written notice to the Chair, who will forward such notice to the Board of County Commissioners.  Any member may be removed, for cause and with prior written notice, by a majority vote of the Board. Cause includes failure to attend 50% of the meetings held in a period of 12 consecutive months. Any vacancy can be filled by appointment by the Board. Vacancy occurring among ex officio members shall be filled by another representative of the agency and a letter noting the change in personnel shall be sent to the County Executive and LMB Director to maintain an accurate roster of members.  

          3.05   Responsibilities.  All LMB members will be provided with a list of expectations, and will acknowledge the following responsibilities, commitments and conduct expected:

  • Help establish strategic direction, set broad policy, and steward the LMB’s assets;
  • Work diligently to understand the mission, purpose, goals and programs of the organization;
  • Prepare for all board and committee meetings by reviewing all related documents and materials in advance;
  • Attend regularly scheduled board meetings, be available for consultation by phone and email, and serve on at least one committee of the board;
  • Attend the LMB’s major public events;
  • Represent the LMB in the best possible way.

3.06    Orientation.  Board members or the Director will meet with new members within 30 business days of their appointment to educate new members on the mission, purpose, goals and programs of the LMB.

ARTICLE IV

 

OFFICERS

          4.01    The LMB shall have the following officers:  Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson.

          4.02    The officers shall be elected annually by the members of the LMB in June for terms to begin in July, except in cases where vacancies need to be filled.  Officers may serve up to three consecutive terms in any one office.

          4.03    Authority and Duties: The officers shall have the authority and responsibilities delegated by the LMB, and as specified in these Bylaws.

(a)      The Chair shall preside at and conduct all meetings of the LMB and the Executive Committee;

(b)      The Chair shall make appointments to the committees specified in Article 8, and

(c)      The Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chair.

(d)      The Local Management Board staff, in conjunction with Kent County Government, shall ensure that accurate records and minutes of all meetings of the organization are kept and shall oversee the accounting of all funds.

          4.04    Removal: Members may act to remove an officer by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board.

ARTICLE V

 

MEETINGS

          5.01    Regular Meetings.  The LMB shall meet at least quarterly and may meet more frequently as the LMB determines necessary.  Members shall receive advance written notice of the meetings and agenda.

          5.02    Special Meetings.  Special meetings shall be at the call of the Chairperson.  Notice of the time, place and purpose of special meetings shall be provided to all LMB members as soon as the need arises, and no less than 24 hours prior to the special meeting.

5.03    Quorum.

 

(a)      A quorum is required in order to constitute an official meeting:

                   

  1. 51% of total Board membership

(b)      A meeting in which a quorum is not satisfied cannot be considered an official meeting, and no decisions or votes from the meeting can be considered binding unless and until a majority of the voting members have ratified any actions considered.

         

5.04    Voting.  All public and private members shall have voting rights, limited to one vote per agency.

 (a)     Ex officio members may utilize an authorized standing proxy.  Such proxy must be in writing and must specify the designated public agency representative empowered to cast the agency vote.

(b)      Electronic voting by LMB Board members shall be an acceptable means of decision-making outside meetings if it is authorized by the Chair. The results of the vote shall be noted at the next Board Meeting and recorded in the meeting minutes.

5.05 Conflict of Interest.  On any matter before the LMB, all members are obligated to disclose their conflict of interest prior to discussion of any matter so affected.  Such members shall abstain from voting if such member or the LMB deems a conflict of interest exists.  No LMB member may vote on any matter which has direct bearing on services to be provided by that member or his/her parent organization.  Members unable to vote may still be counted as present for the purpose of establishing a quorum.

ARTICLE VI

 

COMMITTEES

          6.01    Committees.

                    (a)      The LMB may create such standing committees and special committees as it may deem necessary and all committees shall be chaired by a Board member.  The Chairperson shall appoint persons to chair and to serve on those committees, including persons who are not members of the LMB but who, by virtue of special expertise, function or circumstance, would benefit the LMB.  Standing committees are as follows:

          6.02    Executive Committee.  There shall be an Executive Committee of the LMB comprised of the following five (5) members:  the Chairperson; the Vice-Chairperson; the local government representative and two (2) LMB members. The two (2) members of the Executive Committee who are not officers shall be elected each June pursuant to Article V, Section 5.02 of these Bylaws.

(a)      For all non-time-sensitive matters, the Executive Committee shall have no greater authority or powers than the LMB, but may exercise those powers subject to ratification by the full LMB at the ensuing meeting.

                    (b)      Under the direction of the LMB, the Executive Committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the LMB subject to ratification at the next Board meeting. The Executive Committee shall ensure that the full Board is kept abreast of pertinent information and business conducted outside of full Board meetings.     

          6.03    Program Committee.  The Program Committee shall be responsible for the evaluation of approved community programs and for making recommendations about contract renewals and to serve as a review team for new vendor proposals. The Program Committee shall be comprised of at least five (5) LMB members, a majority of which shall be private sector members.  No vendor or partner organization currently in receipt of funds by contract, or competing for a contract, with the LMB will participate on the program committee.

          6.04    Board Development Committee.  There shall be a Board Development Committee comprised of at least three (3) LMB members.

                    (a)      The Board Development Committee shall be responsible for the recruitment of candidates for nomination to the LMB.  When a vacancy occurs on the LMB, the Board Development Committee shall recommend the names of potential nominees to the LMB, who may then submit recommendations for appointment to the Board of County Commissioners.

(b)      The Board shall review the Bylaws at least every three (3) years to ensure that the bylaws are current, meet the needs of the Board, and reflect actual practice.

          6.05    Ad Hoc Committees.  Special ad hoc committees may be established by the LMB Director as the need arises.  The specific purpose, task or responsibility of these committees will be determined by the Board.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

MISCELLANEOUS

          7.01    Policies and Procedures.  The LMB may adopt policies and procedures from time to time as it deems advisable and appropriate for the proper administration of the LMB.

7.02    Personnel.  In accordance with the Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual for Kent County, the LMB may employ personnel necessary to carry out the activities of the LMB including, but not limited to, administrative support, community planning and interagency coordination.  Such personnel shall be governed by the personnel policies and procedures of Kent County.

          7.03    Amendments.  Subject to the approval of the Board of County Commissioners, these Bylaws may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of the LMB, provided that the proposed amendment or repeal has been submitted to the LMB membership in writing prior to the meeting at which the proposed amendment or repeal is to be discussed and voted upon.   

 

          7.04    Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the LMB shall be from July 1 through June 30, inclusive.

 

7.05    Liability and Indemnification.  The members of LMB are not personally liable for the debts, liabilities and other obligations of the LMB.  The members and officers of the LMB shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by the laws of the State of Maryland and applicable federal law.  The LMB shall provide insurance on behalf of the members and officers.

 

ADOPTED the 2nd day of September, 1997.

AMENDED  the 15th day of December, 1998.

AMENDED the 26th day of April, 2005.

AMENDED the 10th day of April, 2007.

AMENDED the  22nd day of April, 2008.

AMENDED the  18th  day of August 2009.

AMENDED the  11th day of October 2011.

AMENDED the 6th day of May 2014.

AMENDED the 19th day of September 2017.

AMENDED the 24th day of April 2018.

AMENDED the 16th day of July 2019.

 

[1] All section references are to Title 8 of the Human Services Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

 

Executed By-Laws - Signed