PORT TOWNSEND — City funds that have gone to Jefferson County for substance abuse prevention will help a youth mentoring program floundering since Big Brothers Big Sisters pulled out late last month.
That decision capped City Council deliberations on the city’s 2010 budget Monday night, then the council unanimously approved the spending plan during a lengthy council meeting.
Beginning next year, the city will withhold funds that have gone to Jefferson County for substance abuse prevention for the past eight years and use it to fund a mentoring program under the umbrella of the former directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters.
After identifying the liquor excise tax as a source of revenue that could be pulled back, the City Council voted to shave $20,000 of the $42,000 previously budgeted for the county Department of Public Health’s programs to dissuade minors from using drug and alcohol.
The $20,000 will be used instead to fund a collaborative led by Liesl Slabaugh, former director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, to continue a mentoring program that would have otherwise fallen apart after Big Brothers Big Sisters closed its Jefferson County branch two weeks ago.
The remaining $22,000 from the liquor excise tax will still go to the county for substance abuse prevention.
Request for help
Slabaugh, backed by 20 supporters of a mentoring program, petitioned council for help Monday night.
“I realize you’ve spent lots of time and effort on this budget,” she said, “but things have changed the scenario of youth services in the area.
“During my two years, I saw the power of mentoring to change young folks lives,” Slabaugh told the council.
“I’m before you here tonight, as are all these folks, to see what we could do to keep the program going.”
New name
Slabaugh said the new program would likely be run under a different name, but would be formed as a nonprofit with a part-time director.
The $20,000 going to the program will continue to support the 67 matches between “bigs” and “littles” that were active before Big Brothers Big Sisters pulled its funding.
The nonprofit would also look for matching funds, possibly from other non-profits and the school districts and county.
“The reasons for asking for this is because it is a strategy that is proven,” Slabaugh said.
“It works and now it is a matter of keeping it going.”
Council members agreed with Slabaugh.
“I feel like we can take $20,000 from that fund and put it where we know it would be a good use,” said Mayor Michelle Sandoval.
“I do feel like the mentoring program would be a good place for that.”
Council members called into question where their money was going after it went to the county, saying they had seen no qualitative report how the liquor excise tax revenue was spent.
“Maybe that money is all doing good things,” Sandoval said.
“I think we really need to look at where we can tighten our belts, and this is one of those avenues.”
Memorial Field
The City Council also voiced its frustration with the county’s discussion of potentially closing Memorial Field, which sits across the street from City Hall as the main sports field in Jefferson County.
“The potential closure of Memorial Field could have a huge impact on the city of Port Townsend even though it’s a county-owned property,” Sandoval said.
“If it closes, it also has an impact on our youth.”
City Manager David Timmons also updated the council on the budget as a whole, saying that very few changes had been made since the preliminary draft was presented in November.
Most notably, the banked general fund reserve was increased to $560,000 — or by 7.87 percent — once all numbers were finalized, said City Accountant Michael Legarksy.
The council, in approving the budget, appropriated $6,725,786 for the general fund, $1,114,065 for public works, $988,071 for the library, $1,417,325 for community services and $1,244,671 for fire and emergency medical service.
The grand total of all operating, capital, debt and trust funds was approved at $35,641,437.
________
Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
