BY ELAINE STIEB
Lake Orion Review Editor
People who support the activities of Orion Area Youth Assistance hope village officials will rethink not providing some funding this fiscal year.
They would like $1,000. No money was budgeted for OAYA in the 2004-05 budget by Lake Orion Village Council members.
According to OAYA’s Genny Wandrie, Orion’s Youth Assistance program began in 1961 with the tri-sponsorship of Oakland County’s Probate Court, Lake Orion’s school district and local municipalities (Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion).
‘The village has been giving sporadic support,? she told council members on Aug. 23.
The goal of OAYA is to prevent juvenile delinquency and other harmful activities. Its success depends on local sponsors.
Orion Township gave $4,500 to OAYA last year. It also allocated $5,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to the camp program.
According to Wandrie, there were enough funds to send 61 kids to camp.
The school district provided office space at the CERC building, a phone line, a computer, use of equipment (services estimated at $14,436).
United Way of Oakland Township donated $4,000 last year and it was projected OAYA would receive another $4,000 in random donations for 2003-04.
OAYA provides local children with such services as free counseling, referrals, sending kids to camp and mentoring.
Wandrie said 141 referrals were made in 2003. Through July 2004 there have been 117
Council president Bill Siver suggested that some of the village’s CDBG funds be reprogrammed and given to OAYA.
LO Village Manger JoAnn Van Tassel recommended to council members not to approve the request for $1,000. She said OAYA has not provided any information on how many village children receive services from it.
‘And every village resident pays township taxes. Therefore to seek funding from both the township and the village is double-dipping of village residents,? she said. ‘I’ve always been opposed to double-dipping.?
‘And the township has 10 times the population of the village.?
According to Wandrie, other communities in the area (Oxford/Oxford Township, Clarkston/Independence Township and Brandon Township/Ortonville have a similar situation and support youth assistance programs separately.
Councilman Douglas Dendel agreed with Van Tassel. ‘Our residents are already paying for this. And our CDBG funds aren’t nearly as much as the township’s,? he said.
Council members agreed, that because the village budget was already set for 2004, it would consider reprograming $4,000 in CDBG funds for OAYA.
They also advised Wandrie to make a request for a 2005 donation when the council is discussing next year’s budget.