Council Hears Funding Requests From Non-Profit Organizations
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Non-profit organizations' representatives made their annual pilgrimage to the county council Thursday with funding requests for 2007.
Most of them discussed anticipated reductions in federal, state or grant money. Several asked for increases due to increased fuel and utility costs.
Richard Paczkowski, Home Care and Hospice executive director, said the organization is no longer taking new clients. He said a similar Winona Lake-based company recently dropped all of its clients and his organization cannot absorb them.
Cuts in federal subsidies for Medicare and Medicaid have stretched his budget to extremes. He asked the council for an additional $7,500 over last year's grant of $40,000.
Jeanie Campbell, Beaman Home executive director, also cited grant cuts as the reason for asking for an additional $4,044 for 2007, totaling $35,000.
The Animal Welfare League is requesting $72,000. In 2006 the group received $67,810. Dr. Richard Brungardt, DVM, president of the AWL board of directors, introduced the new executive director, Valerie Clarkson, and board member Andrew Grossnickle.
Brungardt said Clarkson was hired because of her administrative background and she will be expected to perform other duties than that of shelter coordinator.
More than 1,000 animals were adopted from the AWL last year.
Kosciusko County Historical Society President Jerry Frush and Old Jail Museum Director Mike Pletcher requested $25,000 to maintain the former jail, built in 1870. This request is an increase over 2006's $21,850 because of utility cost increases.
Council on Aging Executive Director Jack Felger said the Senior Center vans are the only transportation available for some people 60 years old and older. The budget increase he made is about $4,200 more than last year because of increases in fuel costs. The organization received $30,823 in 2006 and requested $35,000 for 2007.
Cardinal Center Executive Director Jane Greene asked for $105,688 ($100,683 was received in 2006) to fund four programs: $16,060 for the Head Start program ($14,678 in 2006); $65,510 for Community Living ($63,602 in 2006); $15,118 for the Kosciusko Area Bus Service ($14,678 in 2006); and $9,000 for Sus Amigos ($7,725 in 2006).
Kosciusko Development Inc. board member Brad Bishop requested $33,250 ($33,250 in 2006) for the economic development-oriented organization, the same amount KDI received last year.
The 4-H Council is asking for $50,159 ($43,808 in 2006).
Arrowhead RC&D Coordinator Randy Moore requested $500 ($475 in 2006) for the watershed protection organization.
The council adopted, on second reading, a $5 county option dog tax because the state will not be collecting the money any more. The county's levy will be collected by township assessors or by the trustee assessor. The state will receive $1, 75 cents goes to the township assessor's office and the county keeps $3.25.
Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said more than $13,000 could be collected from the dog tax. The money could go to the animal shelter, as reimbursement to farmers for livestock kills, reimbursement to people who have undergone rabies post-exposure treatments or the purchase of dog tags.
The council also:
• Heard from David Doctor of Secrist Lake regarding the establishment of the Lakeland Regional Sewer District, which the council approved.
About 20 people attended the meeting in support of the proposal. No one spoke against it, although councilman Bob Sanders had questions.
He asked how people with low and fixed incomes are supposed to pay for the sewer service.
Doctor said up to $7,500 was available from Rural Development for eligible applicants. He said the district's board of trustees (when established) could set up a fund to help out, too.
• Approved a tax abatement for North Central Cooperative of $4 million for real estate.
The council also approved several additional appropriations:
• As requested by the county commissioners, $210,000 from various accounts to pay for western route services as provided by the Troyer Group.
• An $810,000 contract with the Troyer Group has been approved for environmental studies.
• As requested by the prosecutor's office, $12,700 in additional appropriations for a special prosecutor. Sanders voted nay. The prosecutor's office also asked for an amount of $590.05 from various accounts to the VOCA grant for payroll.
• As requested by the county general fund and superior courts, $15,000 to pay for a part-time probation officers.
• As requested by the highway department, $2,100 to pay for radios in new vehicles.
• As requested by the health department.
Approved transfers included:
• A $1,587.004 transfer for a payroll raise for the dispatch second-in-command, as previously approved.
• A health fund transfer of $1,200 for a payroll increase for the chief environmental scientist, as previously approved.
• The council agreed to pay off the Maple Leave Tax Increment Fund bond ahead of schedule and continue to collect payments until the balance is returned.
• Approved budget reductions of $111,174 from the dispatcher payroll account because funds were used from the E911 fund; and $129,540 from the cumulative jail fund for cameras because security cameras were paid from Cumulative Capital Development funds.
The council reviewed its 2007 budget of $52,032.
The next council meeting is Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. Louis Dreyfus tax increment financing documents will be signed at the meeting.
August budget meetings were established for Aug. 28 and 29 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.
County council members are Harold Jones, Larry Teghtmeyer, Tom Anglin, Charlene Knispel, Bob Sanders, John Kinsey and Brad Tandy. [[In-content Ad]]
Non-profit organizations' representatives made their annual pilgrimage to the county council Thursday with funding requests for 2007.
Most of them discussed anticipated reductions in federal, state or grant money. Several asked for increases due to increased fuel and utility costs.
Richard Paczkowski, Home Care and Hospice executive director, said the organization is no longer taking new clients. He said a similar Winona Lake-based company recently dropped all of its clients and his organization cannot absorb them.
Cuts in federal subsidies for Medicare and Medicaid have stretched his budget to extremes. He asked the council for an additional $7,500 over last year's grant of $40,000.
Jeanie Campbell, Beaman Home executive director, also cited grant cuts as the reason for asking for an additional $4,044 for 2007, totaling $35,000.
The Animal Welfare League is requesting $72,000. In 2006 the group received $67,810. Dr. Richard Brungardt, DVM, president of the AWL board of directors, introduced the new executive director, Valerie Clarkson, and board member Andrew Grossnickle.
Brungardt said Clarkson was hired because of her administrative background and she will be expected to perform other duties than that of shelter coordinator.
More than 1,000 animals were adopted from the AWL last year.
Kosciusko County Historical Society President Jerry Frush and Old Jail Museum Director Mike Pletcher requested $25,000 to maintain the former jail, built in 1870. This request is an increase over 2006's $21,850 because of utility cost increases.
Council on Aging Executive Director Jack Felger said the Senior Center vans are the only transportation available for some people 60 years old and older. The budget increase he made is about $4,200 more than last year because of increases in fuel costs. The organization received $30,823 in 2006 and requested $35,000 for 2007.
Cardinal Center Executive Director Jane Greene asked for $105,688 ($100,683 was received in 2006) to fund four programs: $16,060 for the Head Start program ($14,678 in 2006); $65,510 for Community Living ($63,602 in 2006); $15,118 for the Kosciusko Area Bus Service ($14,678 in 2006); and $9,000 for Sus Amigos ($7,725 in 2006).
Kosciusko Development Inc. board member Brad Bishop requested $33,250 ($33,250 in 2006) for the economic development-oriented organization, the same amount KDI received last year.
The 4-H Council is asking for $50,159 ($43,808 in 2006).
Arrowhead RC&D Coordinator Randy Moore requested $500 ($475 in 2006) for the watershed protection organization.
The council adopted, on second reading, a $5 county option dog tax because the state will not be collecting the money any more. The county's levy will be collected by township assessors or by the trustee assessor. The state will receive $1, 75 cents goes to the township assessor's office and the county keeps $3.25.
Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell said more than $13,000 could be collected from the dog tax. The money could go to the animal shelter, as reimbursement to farmers for livestock kills, reimbursement to people who have undergone rabies post-exposure treatments or the purchase of dog tags.
The council also:
• Heard from David Doctor of Secrist Lake regarding the establishment of the Lakeland Regional Sewer District, which the council approved.
About 20 people attended the meeting in support of the proposal. No one spoke against it, although councilman Bob Sanders had questions.
He asked how people with low and fixed incomes are supposed to pay for the sewer service.
Doctor said up to $7,500 was available from Rural Development for eligible applicants. He said the district's board of trustees (when established) could set up a fund to help out, too.
• Approved a tax abatement for North Central Cooperative of $4 million for real estate.
The council also approved several additional appropriations:
• As requested by the county commissioners, $210,000 from various accounts to pay for western route services as provided by the Troyer Group.
• An $810,000 contract with the Troyer Group has been approved for environmental studies.
• As requested by the prosecutor's office, $12,700 in additional appropriations for a special prosecutor. Sanders voted nay. The prosecutor's office also asked for an amount of $590.05 from various accounts to the VOCA grant for payroll.
• As requested by the county general fund and superior courts, $15,000 to pay for a part-time probation officers.
• As requested by the highway department, $2,100 to pay for radios in new vehicles.
• As requested by the health department.
Approved transfers included:
• A $1,587.004 transfer for a payroll raise for the dispatch second-in-command, as previously approved.
• A health fund transfer of $1,200 for a payroll increase for the chief environmental scientist, as previously approved.
• The council agreed to pay off the Maple Leave Tax Increment Fund bond ahead of schedule and continue to collect payments until the balance is returned.
• Approved budget reductions of $111,174 from the dispatcher payroll account because funds were used from the E911 fund; and $129,540 from the cumulative jail fund for cameras because security cameras were paid from Cumulative Capital Development funds.
The council reviewed its 2007 budget of $52,032.
The next council meeting is Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. Louis Dreyfus tax increment financing documents will be signed at the meeting.
August budget meetings were established for Aug. 28 and 29 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 31 at 7 p.m.
County council members are Harold Jones, Larry Teghtmeyer, Tom Anglin, Charlene Knispel, Bob Sanders, John Kinsey and Brad Tandy. [[In-content Ad]]