By Carol McIntire
Editor
July 29, 2008
A cut in federal funds is translating into a cut in personnel at the Carroll County Victim Assistance office.
Karin Taff, Victim Assistance director, told commissioners Monday a 10 percent cut in the federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) means she will have to layoff a part-time employee. The employee works 20 hours per week and Taff said they tried to work it out so the employee could work 10 hours per week, but that is not possible with the cost of fringe benefits.
“She does a lot of work in 20 hours,” Taff said. “We’re going to miss her and it means the other two of us will have to pick up additional work.”
Taff said the VOCA grant does not include any funding to pay unemployment compensation, so if the employee does not find work and files a claim, funding will have to come from the county general fund.
Commissioners approved grant applications for the federal VOCA grant as well as the state grant as requested by Taff. The federal grant is for $52,780 and the state grant is $7,557. The federal grant requires a match of $15,033 from the county, which Taff said is provided by the court.
She said services provided by the Victim Assistance office will be cut in Municipal Court and Juvenile Court will be cut out entirely except for felony cases, which are mandated by law.
The new grant becomes effective Oct. 1, 2008, which will be the last day for the part-time employee.
In an unrelated matter, commissioners granted approval for President Larry Garner to explore a possible oil and gas lease for 425 acres of county-owned land in Center Township (landfill property). Commissioner Tom Wheaton suggested Garner check the files before proceeding because he believes the county’s consultant previously advised commissioners not to enter into a lease.
In other business, commissioners:
-WERE invited to an open house Aug. 6 at the Carrollton satellite campus of Stark State College. The open house will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the Stark State location, 611 N. High St., Carrollton. Natalie Woodin, representing Stark State, told commissioners enrollment is up significantly for fall classes and they may need to add a third classroom to accommodate all the students.
-APPROVED three contracts requested by the Department of Job and Family Services. Contracts were approved for the following: $855 for software support by Sword Solutions, an additional $6,550 for a contract with Goodwill Industries to provide career testing and vocational evaluations and the renewal of a contract for daycare services with Wooden Ledges Child Care.
-AGREED to accept bids and open them at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 21 for the construction of an addition at the Brown Twp./Malvern sewer garage.
-APPROVED the purchase of 10,000 county maps at a cost of $15,000. Wheaton noted by purchasing in a large quantity, the engineer’s department is able to keep the cost to the public at $1.50 per map.
-AGREED to accept bids for the purchase of gasoline for county vehicles.
-ACCEPTED the semi-annual report for the county Revolving Loan Fund.
-RECEIVED the weekly dog pound report showing 29 impounded, 20 tagged, two redeemed and four put to sleep. There were two citations for no license and one for a dog running at large.
-DISCUSSED the hours at the dog pound. Garner noted the two employees do not take a lunch and are paid for eight hours. Wheaton said he doesn’t think that can be done; federal labor laws require breaks. He also suggested staggering hours so county residents can visit and adopt dogs after work. Current hours at the dog pound are 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.
-AGREED to send a letter to Lake Mohawk officials advising them the county highway department cannot chip and seal their roadways, even if they provide materials, based on an opinion from the county prosecutor.
-APPROVED an agreement with Leighty & Snider to provide consulting services and application preparation for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Formula program for 2008 in the amount of $2,500.
-REAPPOINTED Tammy Sanderson, Betty Gray, Bill Newell, Dusty Findling, Mike Butkus and Lee Randolph to the Area 16 Workforce Investment Board for a two-year term retroactive to July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2010.
-APPROVED a grant application to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for FY 2008 EDI Special Project grant in the amount of $294,000 for the Carroll County Community Center for planning, design and construction. |
