City cuts threaten various groups

The Waynesboro City Council heard from several representatives of agencies serving the city during a public hearing Thursday seeking to restore money that City Manager Mike Hamp has proposed be cut.

Two agencies represented at the public hearing – Blue Ridge Legal Services and the Valley Alliance for Education – would not receive any city support in the proposed, fiscal year 2010 budget.

“We’re trying to put fingers in the dikes,” said John Whitfield, executive director of Blue Ridge Legal Services. He said the cut, at $2,459 – which he said represents $1 for every city resident that meets poverty guidelines under the 2000 U.S. Census – could mean the agency would have to lay off an attorney.

As it stands, Whitfield said the agency does not have enough attorneys to handle its caseload. It has also lost $10,000 in United Way funding.

Shirley Bridgeforth, president of the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation, said the 62 percent cut to its budget “greatly reduces our ability to operate a first-class museum.”

Ginny Harris and Jack McClanahan, speaking on behalf of Valley Hope Counseling, said the cut they face from the city from $10,000 to $5,000, represents five percent of the agency’s overall budget. Harris said, as a result of the cuts, the agency would have to cut 160 counseling sessions and turn away 30 Waynesboro residents.

Lisa Lovelady, representing the Valley Alliance for Education, said Waynesboro teachers benefit from grants. The 100 percent cut of its $1,500 allocation is 4 percent of its budget. She said she would be happy if one-third of that amount was restored, but still hopes for full funding.

Hamp, though, made additional cuts that eliminated city funding for Valley Hope Counseling, the Boys and Girls Club, Augusta Free Clinic, the Daily Living Center and New Directions while cutting a further $25,250 from the Valley Program for Aging Services. He anticipates that these agencies will be eligible for community service block grant funding. The city is preparing an application for such funding for fiscal year 2010.

Vice Mayor Frank Lucente asked whether some of the $155,000 grant money going to the Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro could go to restore some of the funding for nonprofit agencies that were cut from the budget.

Hamp said some of the nonprofits could have that money go for them. Hamp said Carol Blair, director of the Office on Youth, and Elizabeth Middleton, director of Social Services, are working on a model to reestablish funding to the nonprofit agencies.

“That is my intent to restore funding to these agencies,” said Dowdy, who serves on the CAP-SAW board as the council’s representative.

Looking at the add-delete list Hamp presented, Dowdy said she had hoped that the further cuts to eliminate the agencies from the budget would help restore funding for WDDI and the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation.

Councilwoman Lorie Smith said the 62 percent for the foundation cut would “shut their doors.” However, she proposed an $11,000 cut to the foundation that she says would allow them to keep their doors open and maintain services. She also suggested that one of its two salaried positions be bumped down to part-time status.

Lucente, though, said he was opposed to restoring funding for the museum and said volunteers would be sufficient to keep the foundation operating.

Dowdy also suggested that WDDI – set to receive $50,000 – a 23 percent cut of its previous, $65,000 budget – be folded into the Economic Development Authority.

Hamp also transferred $340,973 from the landfill post-closure reserve fund to the general fund. He said that addresses the regulatory compliance actions of testing and remediation for the closed landfill. He explained that the city would lose $19,813 in funding due to successful appeals in the reassessment process.

He also gave an overview of the water, sewer and garbage funds. Water fund revenues declined 18.3 percent, while the sewer fund declined 6.5 percent. The garbage fund, however, saw a 1.7 percent increase. Depreciation is not funded in the water or sewer funds, but is paid for in the garbage fund. Water and sewer fund revenues, he said, are dropping due to fewer customers related to declining development in the city.