AGENDA #6

 

BUDGET WORKING PAPER

 

TO:                  W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

FROM:            Gregg Jarvies, Chief of Police

 

SUBJECT:       Follow up on History of Human Service Agencies Having Line-Item Funding

 

DATE:             June 15, 2005

 

The purpose of this memorandum is to respond to a request from a Council Member seeking additional information regarding the funding history of three community organizations that have line-item funding:  the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Joint Orange-Chatham Community Action (JOCCA), and the Chapel Hill Senior Center. 

 

DISCUSSION

The Orange County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) began in 1973 as a program sponsored by the Town of Chapel Hill. The program was operated by the Human Services Department of the Town.  Also in existence at the time were two other organizations with similar missions � the Chapel Hill Council on Aging and the Orange County Council on Aging.  These two Councils merged to better coordinate services and to centralize funding sources.  In 1981, Orange County adopted the RSVP program as part of the newly created Department on Aging.  At that time the Town agreed to continue to support the program by providing a base level of funding to Orange County.  Program support for FY 2004-05 was approximately $12,000.  The Town of Carrboro also provides some financial support for the RSVP program. 

The Chapel Hill Senior Center is operated by the Orange County Department on Aging with support from the Town that is directed through the Parks and Recreation Department.  In the early 1990�s the Senior Center leased their current facility on Elliot Road. During this transition period the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center successfully petitioned the Town for ongoing support to assist with payments for utilities and custodial services.  Funding for the Chapel Hill Senior Center in FY 2004-05 totaled $30,000.

The Town has supported Joint Orange-Chatham Community Action (JOCCA) for many years. Unitl 1995 JOCCA applied for funding through the Human Services Advisory Board process. In 1995 the Council unanimously approved a motion to review funding requests from JOCCA directly. According to the minutes of the June 5, 1995 Council meeting, it was suggested that JOCCA was distinct from other organizations funded through Human Services, particularly because it was an intergovernmental agency.  The meeting minutes indicate that the Council decided to have the Council�s liaison to JOCCA review their budget requests outside of the standard process.  Funding for JOCCA in FY 2004-05 totaled $18,900.

Through the years other community agencies, including the Interfaith Council and the ArtsCenter, have also sought and received direct funding from the Council.  Often, this funding was designated by the Council as a �one-time� allocation and not guaranteed for succeeding years. At other times the Council has agreed to provide direct funding to organizations in order to provide support for a limited number of years for assistance with mortgage payment or other similar expenses.  In a few such circumstances organizations have received both direct funding from the Council and funding through the Human Services Advisory Board allocation process.