If Addison doesn’t contribute its share of funding to Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance next year, its children and families will not receive local services.
Youth Assistance’s Board of Directors voted Sept. 6 ‘to eliminate services to? Addison’s youth as of Dec. 31, 2005 ‘unless the municipality notifies OAYA of its intention to provide funding for OAYA’s 2006 budget year.?
On Aug. 25, revenue shortages forced the Addison Township Board voted to cut $49,750 in funding from next year’s budget, which included annual contributions to Youth Assistance, North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA) and the Polly Ann Trail.
For Youth Assistance, the funding cut will equal approximately $5,000.
‘The Board has long believed that helping the youth residing in any particular municipality benefits the community as a whole,? wrote OAYA Chair Chris Lamphear in a statement issued to the Leader.
‘However, potential funding shortfalls will force the board to scale back the level of service ? up to complete elimination ? to the youth from any sponsoring body reducing their budgeted allotment to Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance,? Lamphear wrote.
A volunteer-driven group, Youth Assistance’s programs are designed to help children and families prevent delinquency and child neglect within their own community.
Activities include organizing family education classes, sponsoring mentorships through the Mentors PLUS program, conducting retail fraud prevention workshops in schools, and sponsorship of camp and other recreational activities, including after school programs.
According to Lamphear, Oxford Township and Village, Oxford Area Community Schools and Addison Township are each ? a contractual financial partner? in Youth Assistance.
As a result, ‘the board saw no alternative but to reduce or eliminate services to the youth from any sponsor which breaks its contract with the group.?
‘We appreciate that all the communities have to operate like businesses,? Lamphear told this reporter. ‘They take in so much and can only spend so much. And that’s what’s behind Addison’s decision. There are no hard feelings on our end. But we have to operate like a business too and if somebody has stopped providing us with funding, we have to scale back on what we provide them in return.?
When asked if the possibility of giving Addison a pass for one year was considered, Lamphear said, ‘We hashed around ideas like that.?
‘Our biggest concern is that other communities would say, ‘Well, Addison is getting a year pass, maybe we can get a year off ? we’re having a tough year this year too. Maybe, we’ll take a year off and come back next year.??
Despite the board’s decision, Lamphear’s statement did end on a positive note ? ‘The board looks forward to exploring funding options with all sponsoring organizations to prevent any decrease in allocations and the cuts in service that would result, and is optimistic the funding situation will be resolved.?
Addison Clerk Pauline Bennett, who sits on the OAYA board, but abstained from the vote, said she was ‘briefly disappointed? by the group’s decision, but is now focused on ‘trying to find a solution rather than dwelling on it.?
‘I want the door to be open for negotiations,? she said.
Bennett said her main concern is making sure Addison’s youth continue to receive counseling services from OAYA Caseworker Hank Szlenkier.
‘That’s the most necessary part to me,? she said.
Because Szlenkier is a paid employee of Oakland County, not the OAYA board, his services as a caseworker would still be available to Addison kids and families, according to Lamphear.
‘That wouldn’t change,? Lamphear said. ‘He wouldn’t turn away kids at the door or anything like that.?
However, local OAYA services such as skill building, summer camp, Mentors PLUS, retail fraud prevention workshops and parent education would be unavailable to Addison, Lamphear explained.
‘I understand. I’m not angry,? said Addison Supervisor Bob Koski upon learning of the OAYA board’s decision. ‘If the shoe was on the other foot, I’d feel the same way . . . Why should I tax my people for someone who isn’t willing to pay for something??
Koski issued a Sept. 14 statement making it clear that the funding cuts were ‘not done because of disagreement or disappointment with our partners in these programs.?
‘It was done because large cuts in state revenue sharing and revenue cuts due to Headlee rollbacks have created a serious shortage of funds and the township board is charged with the fiduciary responsibility to keep the township fiscally viable.?
Koski noted that the township government is currently working with Oakland County commissioners Bill Patterson (R-Oxford) and Eric Wilson (R-Lake Orion) ‘to work out temporary solutions that will allow us to continue our participation in these important programs until such time as the township can come up with permanent solutions.?
When asked to elaborate on these ‘temporary solutions,? Koski replied, ‘I can’t go into detail. I can’t tell you exactly what we’re working on. But we are working on something.?
‘We’re looking at (restoring funding to) all three, but primarily Youth Assistance and NOTA because they’re going to have the most negative effects on our people. But even with the Polly Ann (Trail) we’re working on something,? the supervisor explained.
Koski did confirm that he is looking into obtaining money from both public and private sources to maintain the funding.
Whatever solution is formulated, Koski wished to ’emphasize that this is a temporary fix.?
‘I don’t want our citizens to think that we’re not going to have to get more money somehow,? said the supervisor referring to the likelihood of Addison voters being asked to approve a millage increase next year.
Although Youth Assistance ‘can’t take a stand on ballot issues,? Lamphear said the organization ‘would do what we can to educate the residents? about ‘who we are, what we’ve done and why we’re important.?
Lamphear said Addison’s cuts are a ‘wake up call? for OAYA.
‘It’s probably something we’ve been lacking in ? getting the word out on the stuff we’ve done,? he said. ‘More has to be done in that area.
An update on Addison and NOTA
Addison Treasurer Dan Alberty said the township is working with commissioners Patterson and Wilson to work out a deal to keep it involved in NOTA.
The treasurer noted that Addison’s ridership is ‘only like 5 to 7 percent usually of NOTA? but ‘we pay 15 percent, plus we pay another $3,600 in-kind rent to Oxford? for a dispatch center and office space
According to NOTA’s figures, the local transportation service provided 1,591 rides last year for Addison residents and 1,166 of those trips were for senior citizens.
Addison’s budgeted contribution to NOTA this year amounted to $26,000 from the township General Fund, plus another $5,700 in municipal credits leftover from when Addison was involved in the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART).
‘We’re trying to work out something for one year to get (Addison’s share) adjusted,? Alberty said. ‘If they recognize the fact that our ridership is much lower, our contribution could come down?
A combination of Community Development Block Grant monies, SMART municipal credits and subsidies from other sources like local businesses is being explored.
Once a ‘short-term agreement? is worked out for next year, Alberty said the township would like to see the contribution formula by which Addison, Oxford and Orion finance NOTA adjusted to resolve the current inequity.
‘We’ll come up with as much as we can for this time, but the formula has to be adjusted.?