More than 100 Evanston residents overflowed City Council chamber to speak against possible budget cuts for the the fourth Saturday in a row, but the council did not make any decisions.
Residents voiced support of social service groups such as Youth Organizations Umbrella and Family Focus, Inc., which receive mental health grants and money from the Community Purchased Services fund. City Manager Roger Crum proposed cutting $225,000 in funds for Community Purchased Services and $150,000 in mental health grants as the city faces a nearly $4 million budget deficit.
Money from the Community Purchased Services helps fund groups that provide child day-care, drug treatment and care for the elderly. Fourteen organizations receive allocations from the Community Purchased Services funds and 13 are funded with mental health grants, with some receiving money from both.
Maurice Dawson, 13, said after-school programs at YOU, 1027 Sherman Ave., are an important part of students’ education. The program provides tutoring, after-school and summer activities, and mentoring for middle school and high school students.
“If you cut this … you cut our knowledge,” Robinson said. “It is harder to restart a program than to cut it.”
Family Focus, Inc., 2010 Dewey Ave., offers programs for middle school and high school students, including after-school activities, a literacy program and GED preparation. It also helps run a nursery for children of Evanston Township High School students. The nursery serves 17 children.
While holding her 18-month-old son, ETHS sophomore Cassie Thompson said she needs the nursery in order to complete her education.
“I need (the nursery) to keep going to school and keep trying hard,” Thompson said.
The amount of money each social service organization will receive will not be determined until the council makes its final budget decision, said Jay Terry, director of Health and Human Services.
Ald. Gene Feldman (9th) said although the council may have to cut money for social services, it still values these services.
“The city of Evanston cares about mental health,” Feldman said
The council also discussed a proposal for Evanston Township, a municipality that shares its borders with the city of Evanston, to take over emergency assistance services for the city. The township would provide emergency assistance – which gives people temporary assistance with food, rent and utility – with city money. The transfer would save the city $100,000.
Patricia Vance, director of the township, said she believes the township can provide these services at a lower cost. The township currently provides general assistance, which helps people with medical expenses, job training and other needs. Because the township already has case workers who are trained to provide social services, it has the capacity to take over emergency assistance for the city, Vance said. The city would save money because two case worker positions in the department would be eliminated.
As part of the plan, the Department of Heath and Human Services still would provide residents with assistance if their need results from any city action, such as the closing of a building because of code violations.
Resident Terrie January said she visited the township recently to see if she could receive general assistance because her husband lost his job. January said she believes the township does not have enough employees to provide emergency assistance.
“Is it really going to be a quality program?” January said.
