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At the third 2010 budget review session for Legislators acting as an Expanded Budget Committee, much of the focus was again on human services programs and how they would be affected by the tentative County budget now under review.

Mental Health Services:

Commissioner Bob DeLuca, whose department this year absorbed a $120,000 state aid cut and reduced its budget for 2010 by more than a quarter million dollars to meet the County’s fiscal target guidelines, asked Legislators to approve over target spending of nearly $80,000 to preserve a contractual emergency outreach psychiatric social worker, supported for the last six years through multi-year funding.  The Commissioner called the emergency psychiatric outreach program a “critical community service.”  A nearly $39,000 over target request to continue partial support of a child psychiatrist has been included in the tentative budget.

Human Services Coalition And Supported Agencies:

Coalition Director Kathy Schlather told Legislators the $27,000 2010 reduction for the Coalition will be difficult.  She said it will cause loss of staff hours equal to half a position and will clearly affect operations and service, coming on the heels of the loss of state funding for the 2-1-1 program and compounding the trend of reduced outside funding while expenses increase.  A requested over target cost of living adjustments for Coalition staff was not recommended.

Of 18 human services agencies funded through the Coalition, Schlather said, “None of these agencies can really afford the cuts.  These cuts are jeopardizing these agencies, generally operating on a shoestring.  They provide necessary services that we should nurture that should be there when they’re needed.”  She reported that just under $40,000 would restore the agencies’ funding to this year’s level.

Other Agencies:

Both Tompkins Community Action (TCA) and the SPCA absorbed the fiscal target reductions and did not file over target requests.  Citing her agency’s long relationship with Tompkins County, Director Lee Dillon said TCA can absorb the shortfall, for this year, in view of federal stimulus funding that has been received.  SPCA Director Abigail Smith thanked the County for its support of the partnership to control cat overpopulation through a trap-neuter-vaccinate-and release program.  With more than 800 cats handled this year, the reduction will mean that 50 fewer cats will be served in 2010.

Information Technology Services:

Director Greg Potter cautioned that because of 2010 fiscal restraints, his budget removes nearly all outside professional services contracts and severely reduces telephone and network equipment and said next year will be one where his department must focus on currently defined and budgeted projects. To help meet the County’s fiscal target reduction, the director cut his own hours; an over target request to restore that funding has been recommended by the County Administrator.

Weights And Measures:

Director Don Ellis, who after prior years’ reductions is his department’s only staff, asked Legislators to restore to the budget an over target request to avoid a reduction in his hours in 2010.  He said there was simply nowhere else to cut to meet the County’s reduction goal.

The Expanded Budget Committee resumes its work on Tuesday, September 22.

 
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