The San Benito County Board of Supervisors began the budget hearings Monday by making their first cut of the hearings to the community-based organizations and the Economic Development Corporation.
Using the same methodology with which they approached cuts to the general fund departments, the budget ad-hoc committee had recommended cutting the contributions to the community-based organizations and the Economic Development Corporation by the percentage of the general fund they represent. For the community-based organizations, that called for a 7 percent reduction of its $80,658 budget to $67,200.
The county provides funding to four organizations that serve the needs of seniors in the community: Advocacy, Inc., Jovenes de Antano, Senior Legal Services and the Senior Council of Santa Cruz & San Benito.
“I would like to know if any, based on the allocations, could lose grant money or federal funding,” said Supervisor Margie Barrios, during the discussion. “I want to still enable they can secure monies.”
Supervisor Robert Rivas said he would also like to know about the agencies ability to raise their “own money.”
Kathleen Johnson, the executive director of Advocacy, Inc., said if the San Benito supervisors were to move forward with cutting their $5,000 allotment by $515 the agency would lose as much as $20,000 in matching funding from the federal government.
Advocacy, Inc., provides ombudsman services for San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, meaning they oversee long-term care facilities and elder abuse. The services are mandated by the state and federal governments.
“San Benito County has 234 residents in long-term care facilities that the agency has helped,” she said. “We deal with complaints and concerns or abuse issues.”
Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz said he supported cuts to the agency because “everyone is making cuts.”
Barrios asked if the city of Hollister could make up the difference, but was informed by City Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia that the city council members had voted to put their own community-based organization contributions on hold pending the outcome of Measure E in November. Measure E would extend the Measure T sales tax that is in place in the city.
Johnson said if the agency were to lose the funding, the agency would have to turn over the contract to the Area Agency on Aging, which would have to find another provider.
“While this is going on, there would be no ombudsman,” Johnson said.
Valdivia also stated her case for not cutting the budget of Jovenes de Antano, which provides Meals on Wheels for homebound seniors as well as other senior programs. Her budget was set to be cut from $40,000 to $36,000.
She said the agency also receives matching funds from the federal government through the Older Americans Act. She said the agency needs to receive 75 percent of their funding from government matches, such as county and city government, making it difficult to just use money from grants or fundraisers for the services.
“It’s less expensive to keep seniors at home than in a nursing facility,” she said, of maintaining Jovenes de Antano.
Valdivia did not know how much money the agency would lose in matching funds with the proposed reduction.
Clay Kempf, the executive director of the Seniors Council, which runs the Area Agency on Aging, said the agencies need about 25 percent of their total budget to be contributed by local jurisdictions for the state and federal to provide funding. Kempf said about 16 percent of the seniors serviced by the agency live in San Benito County, but the agency uses 25 percent of its budget in San Benito.
“With the amount we talked about we can survive,” he said of the proposed cut. “But if it is completely cut we couldn’t survive.”
The supervisors agreed to give Advocacy, Inc., the full $5,000 needed to meet the match requirements, with the other three agencies splitting the balance of $515 based on the percentage of the general fund they receive.
In regards to the Economic Development Corporation, the supervisors agreed to fund it at $20,000, a decrease of $30,000 from last year’s allotment with the understanding that the money will not be made available until the supervisors hear a presentation about the new business plan or model for the agency. Botelho, who represents the supervisors on the EDC board, said the city of Hollister will be offering a city employee to do some EDC work for about 10 hours a month for the next six months. Executive Director Nancy Martin stepped down from her duties in June, before a scheduled presentation to the board of directors.
“My concern is that we had a contract with the EDC, not Nancy Martin,” Supervisor Jerry Muenzer said, of moving forward with the allocation. “We only got one report from them and I’m not seeing anyone here to plead the case. I’m not sure I can support it.”
De La Cruz said he also did not support funding the agency because they have “no leadership.”
Rivas said he thought “economic development is critical to the future and completion of the general plan.”
Barrios again mentioned the possibility of San Benito joining regional economic development opportunities with Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. She made a motion to approve a temporary due pass allocating $20,000 to the agency with direction to provide $6,000 to the city of Hollister and the balance to regional efforts. They also agreed the money would be given on the condition that they receive a full report from EDC board members to justify the $20,000 contribution.
