The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-02-18

Q. That the superintendent be
requested to institute an in-serv-
ice training program which will
include regular staff meetings
and will assist the staff in i'm
proving the quality of It's serv-
ices.
10. That the superintendent be
requested to meet with the ex-
ecutives of the respective private
social welfare agencies in the
city for the purpose OF reducing
to writing clear definitions Of the
functions and relationship be.
tween the public and private ag-
encies to the end that the total
social resources of the City of
Waterbury shall be unified for
the use and betterment Of all
the citizens.
Suggests Recommendation
The survey staff, headed by
Thomas Devine Of the Federal Sc
curity Agency. also recommended
that the City Of Waterbury prepare
to petition the state commissioner
Of welfare for delegated authority
to administer public assistance to
the aged, the blind and dependent
children in Waterbury.
Prior to the depression- ridden
sos, relief administered by public
welfare departments was gener-
ally thought Of as something by
which the lives of the ever-present
poor were sustained on a subsist-
ence basis, the survey experts
commented as preface.
In discussion Of public welfare
in general, the survey noted that
experience since the economic coll
lapse in 1929 proved that to main
tain human dignity and self-re-
spect, relief must be given in a
helpful, objective manner and in
an amount SUFFICIENT to provide a
decent and healthy living stand
ard.
To-day the right Of needy per-
sons to public assistance is q prin-
ciple Of government accepted by
most citizens. Accepted, also, Is
the fact that public assistance,
available as 1t is to all people as a
legal right represents an economic
floor under all families nd indivi-
dualS, the level below which no
person Is permitted TO fall.
Each community, therefore, has
the obligation to determine the
level at which the floor Of econ
omic security for It's citizens Is to
be set. The time to examine the
adequacy Of the community'S pub
lie aid standard and the EN-
cheney Of the public department
charged with administering 1t is
during q period when demands for
assistance are lessened and there
is an opportunity for objective con-
sideration Of the agency'S ability
TO function effectively In days of
great stress" the survey COM
mented,
Welfare Department
The Waterbury De oartment of
Public Welfare organized in sc-
r '1&Aee with provisions in the
City Charter and is composed of
o Board Of Commissioner Of Pub
lie Welfare Of seven members, APP
pointed by the Mayor subject to
the approval Of the Board of Alder
men. No more than four Of its
members can be OF the same poll
teal party and no member re-
ceives compensation for his serv-
ices.
The department consists also Of
q clerk Of the board, q superin-
tendent who serves As executive
for the department whose pro-
grams are administered through a
Division Of Family Welfare and Re-
lief, including commissary, chill
dren's division, Brookside Home
and bookkeeping division.
The department except for Brook
side, normally employs 80 persons,
although there were four vacancies
at the time Of the survey. During
the calendar year Of 1914, actual eX-
penditures, exclusive Of Bro)kside
Home which had budget Of $685.
24e, were $l93,7l0. OF that amount,
approximately $56,434 was spent for
Administration, or 20 per cent OF the |
total expenditure, the survey re-
ported.
There Is no evidence that the |
Board has any established speci-
flcations, setting forth the duties,
requirements and minimum quail
AcatiOne for the yarioVp yNocitionQ