Commissioners OK Children Services levy request, block grant fund application

Richland County Children Services is planning to ask voters in November to renew a 1-mill, 10-year operating levy that provides 20% of the agency’s annual operating funds. County commissioners voted on Thursday to approve a resolution of necessity, which is the first of two needed to put the levy on the ballot.

Children Services Finance Director Kevin Goshe said the five-year levy currently raises $2.3 million annually. It was first approved in 1984 and has been renewed every five years since, although it was as a replacement levy in 2013. He said Thursday’s request is for a straight renewal of the levy.

“It also allows us to pull down a significant amount of federal funding, so it’s not just a 20% loss if we don’t get this renewed. We’ll feel it in the loss of federal funds as well,” Goshe said, noting that there also is another 1-mill local levy that is voted on five years apart.

Commissioner Tony Vero asked why the agency’s five-year financial forecast showed a $6.8 million budget surplus at the end of this year and a $2.3 million deficit at the end of 2028.

Officials explained that the projection is based on full staffing, which Children Services Director Nikki Harless said has not happened “for a long time.” The agency has had an average of around eight vacancies per year between 2013 and 2022, which has saved $2 million.

Harless said one of her biggest concerns right now is the rising cost of caring for the children in agency custody. Recent figures show Children Services was responsible for 134 children in agency care at a cost of $8,700 per day in April. The figures this month are 147 children at a cost of $10,000 per day.

It also was pointed out that the agency has a number of capital replacement expenses projected for the next three years, involving vehicle purchase, electronics, HVAC and restroom renovations.

Commissioners’ Chairman Cliff Mears said the work Children Services does is close to his heart because he grew up as a child with two foster sisters the family ended up adopting.

“I’d be hard-pressed to identify more essential services than taking care of our children the way that you do,” Mears said. “Every time I’m in your office it breaks my heart to hear the stories that you’ve been able to share with me.”

Commissioners will consider the second resolution to formally ask the board of elections to put the issue on the ballot after County Auditor Pat Dropsey certifies the amount it will raise.

CDBG application approved

Commissioners also approved the county’s application for federal Community Development Block Grant funds for program year 2023 following the second of two required public hearings. The county is expected to receive $288,000, which is the same amount as the previous round of funding.

County Regional Planning Director Jotika Shetty said the application includes a request for $110,000 for a new boiler at Dayspring, the county’s assisted living facility; and $75,000 for the Richland County Transit Board to help subsidize half-price passes for senior citizens and disabled residents.

“For this round, unlike in the past, we were only allowed to select two projects,” Shetty said. “We (also) can do planning activities in addition to these two projects.”

The CDBG proposal provides funding for two recommendations in a recently released housing action plan — including $30,000 for regional planning to review local zoning codes, particularly in the townships, to make sure wording and ordinances are much alike.

“This was identified as one of the strategies the county should look at to help with housing development since we have 13 townships that are zoned, all the incorporated areas are zoned,” Shetty said. “Developers often struggle with the different zoning texts because they’re so different, so we’re looking to create some uniformity.”

There also is $20,000 designated to create a plan for training to help rehabilitate existing housing stock, and $53,000 for fair housing and general administration.

Shetty expects the application will be approved in August and the money available in September.

Bids submitted for road salt

Commissioners also opened bids for road salt for the coming winter with Compass Minerals of Overland Park, Kansas, submitting the apparent lowest figure at $64.38 per ton. Two other bids came from Cargill Deicing Technology of Cleveland at $64.73 per ton and Morton Salt of Chicago at $68.99 per ton. Morton received the contract for last winter at $63.77 per ton.

County Engineer Adam Gove told commissioners the price for road salt under the state bidding contract was $55.32 per ton this year compared to $52.79 per ton at this time last year. He said he tries to split the purchases 50-50 between the state and county bids because of state purchasing requirements.

“The downfall with the state contract is you have to purchase 90% of what you put in (as an estimate),” Gove explained. “If you have a light winter, you have to buy the remaining and find a place to store it.”

Gove said he has kept the county contract since 17 of the county’s 18 townships and six municipalities need it because it is a “more or less” contract and an entity can purchase up to 110% of the estimate it puts in.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Commissioners OK Children Services levy request, CDBG application