11-13-1989 - Agenda Packet City Council - regular meeting

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11689.7 COUNCIL MEETING NOV 13 1989 TO: Mayor and City Council t CITY OF ORONO FROM: Mark E. Bernhardson, City Administrator DATE: November 6, 1989 SUBJECT: West Hennepin Human Services - Request for Support Attachment: A.West Hennepin Human Services Letter Dated 10/23/89 B. West Hennepin Hu,.,- , Services Letter Revised tl/6/89 C. Proposed Resolution ISSUE - Presentation of West Hennepin Human Services letter to determine what type of support, if any, the Council desires in response to their request. INTRODUCTION - Hennepin County has found a need in its budgeting for 1990 to look to cut its expenditures in several areas from the original proposed increases. In its effort to do these cuts it has looked to not only cut back on increases but in selected areas eliminate programs that they currently fund. DISCUSSION - A number of years ago in order to decentralize services from its downtown/central cities areas Hennepin County established three suburban human services boards to assist in providing the services to suburban residents who had previously had to venture downtown to obtain them. Starting in about 1985 the City of Orono had received requests to support these and does provide appointees to serve on these Boards. Currently the City is supporting this at about .200 per capita for a total of $1,440 per year. The County currently is looking to entirely eliminate their support of these human services boards. If these boards were to have to cease to exist because of a funding removal suburban users of these services would need to use the central city locations. At issue for West Hennepin Human Services is approximately $70,000. Generally these human services operate more efficiently than the central city operation as it is done by contracting with non-profit agencies, part-time employees and volunteers whereas the cental city operations are more dependent on full time staff. If the County funding were eliminated the human services would approach the Cities for an approximately .800 contribution which would make up the $70,000 lost from the County. As noted in Attachment B the alternative presented by the County Administrator was that they could be funded by the cities. This would mean that approximately $4,320 increase over the current budget estimate the City has placed for this line item for a total of $ 5, 760.