AGENDA #5e

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            Human Services Advisory Board

                        Lew Borman, Chair

 

SUBJECT:       2004-2005 Funding Level Recommendation

 

DATE:             April 14, 2004

 

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to present a recommendation for total funding for human services for fiscal year 2004-2005.

 

DISCUSSION

 

Each year the Human Services Advisory Board presents a recommendation for funding human services to the Town Council as part of the budget process.  This year the Human Services Advisory Board received 41 requests from local nonprofit human service agencies, totaling $285,322.  In addition to reviewing the written applications, the Board has scheduled seven weeks of hearings this spring for agencies to present their proposals.  The Board will present specific agency allocation recommendations to the Town Council in June.

 

In the Needs Report presented in January 2004 to the Town Council, the Human Services Advisory Board identified as priorities:

 

·        Family and individual support toward self-sufficiency

·        Services for at-risk youth

·        Substance abuse treatment/prevention and mental health services

 

The Board also confirmed their commitment to encouraging agencies to ensure services are available to the increasing Latino population.

 

Last year the Town Council approved human service allocations that totaled $206,000 and these funds were distributed among 37 agencies.  The total allocation reflected an increase in funding of approximately 5% from the previous year. In the Budget Work Session held February 18 with the Town Council, the Board reported on the continuing problems agencies are experiencing due to budget reductions.  The Triangle United Way announced in late March that the Orange County United Way agencies will receive a 28% decrease in funding.  For many agencies this will result in more staff and program reductions. In the view of the Board, these reductions will have an impact on the residents of our community.  Based on the funding cuts and requests from new agencies, the Board recommends that the Town Council increase funding this year to help offset some of these reductions.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

The Human Services Advisory Board recommends that the Council increase the level of human service funding for fiscal year 2004-05 to a total of $225,000.

 

2004 Human Services Advisory Board

Lew Borman, Chair

Bill Powers, Vice-Chair

Larry Daquioag

Julie Pace

Ernest Roberts

Gary Wallach