In County Administrator Steve Nichols’ proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget, he suggested restoring at least partial funding to most, but his budget parcels out $479,242 while the agencies are asking for $593,129. That means even if the Board, loathe to raise taxes, accepts Nichols’ budget, some agencies won’t get what they’re asking.
Director of Social Services Susan Muir started off by telling the Board what was her agency’s purpose.
“We are the contact point for the well-being of Fluvanna County citizens,” Muir said.
She said requests for food stamps and welfare were up 100 percent this year and staff turnover is 137 percent over four and a half years.
Most leave because of stress and low pay, Muir said.
Case-load standards call for five and a half new social workers and Muir asked the Board for additional funding to hire those workers.
Nichols’ budget lists Social Services full request at $2,388,129 and he suggests funding $251,313 less than requested.
Many of the agencies’ representatives spoke of the services Fluvanna gets in return for its funding.
In fact, Judy Smith, who spoke for the Jefferson Area Children’s Health Improvement Program, decided to get right to the point.
She asked each of the supervisors for a dollar bill. Smith collected them. In return, she handed each Supervisor $17 in play money.
“For every dollar you give CHiP, you get $17 worth of services,” Smith said.
In CHiP’s case, it is asking for $50,000 and Nichols’ budget suggests fully funding the agency in the FY14 budget.
As for the agencies the Board refused to fund last year, Nichols’ budget calls for each to get close to their FY14 request if not fully fund it.
Except for OAR. That agency is asking the Board for $10,512. Nichols’ budget suggests giving it just $1,750.
OAR Director Patricia Smith said her agency, in part, determines what inmates are eligible for pre-trial release and monitors those awaiting court dates.
“It costs about $54 per day to keep a person in jail,” Smith said. “It costs OAR 65 cents a day to have them in our program.”
As it was a work session, the Board asked few questions. Most simply took in the information. Actual discussions in which the public may see what supervisors are thinking in regards to funding will take place in the next few weeks.
