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An understaffed foster care department in Stanly County was brought up by two Stanly County commissioners at the board’s Feb. 5 meeting.

Commissioner Patty Crump reported on a meeting of the county’s Consolidated Services Board (CSB) to commissioners during board comments.

Crump said the number of children in foster homes is growing and has more than doubled in some months than what the rate was traditionally. She noted February in the past two years had approximately 31 or 32 foster children in the month, but this February the number is around 70 already.

She said she and Brandon King, the other commissioner on the CSB, “got the ball rolling” with County Manager Andy Lucas regarding the approval of two new staff positions.

Commissioners approved the two new positions unanimously at a work session prior to the Feb. 5 regular meeting.

“We all feel that they need additional help, so we’ve approved two more positions for that department because I don’t think that we’re going to see this decrease anytime in the near future,” Crump said.

King, in his comments, called the staff shortage “a major issue,” adding he was thankful for the board to come together “and (approve the positions) for the community and all of the people in the county.”