1982-03-15 - Laserfiche WebLink

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OF MONEY WE HAVE IN REVENUE MATCH THE EXPENDITURES OF THE PROGRAMS FSR THREE PRINCIPAL REASONS: l) INFLATION IS INCREASING AT 8 TO 10% PER YEAR AND THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS INCREASES AT THE SAME RATE AS IT DOES FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR; 2) DEDUCED FEDERAL REVENUES AND 3) LOCAL AND STATE REVENUES ARE LESS THAN IN RECENT YEARS. MR. HENDRIX STATED THAT THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TO BALANCE. IN ORDER TO DO SO, SINCE THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE BUDGET ~S FOR SALARIES, aS POSITIONS WILL BE ELIMINATED, IMPACTING CITIZENS ASSISTANCE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL SERVICES, PURCHASING, PUBL2C WORKS AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. MR. HENDRIX STATED HE IS NOT RECOMMENDING A TAX INCREASE, BUT THAT REAL PRSPERTY ASSESSMENTS WILL RISE AN AVERAGE OF 8%. HE ALSO 2~DICATED THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, THERE WILL BE NO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FUND (WHICH ELIMINATES CONSTRUCTING NEW SIDEWALKS, BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS AND NEW TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT). DR. WILLIAM HARRIS OF 485 14TH STREET, VOICED HIS CONCERNS OF THE ELIMINATION OF THE POSITION OS COMMUNITY DEVELOPER AS PROPOSED IN THE 1982-83 BUDGET. DR. HARRIS SPOKE OF THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO WEST HAVEN TO PROVIDE A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH HOUSING AND SERVICES. HE STATED THAT COUNCIL SHOULD BE SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO .THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND URGED COUNCIL'S SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES BY RESTORING THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPER'S POSITION TO THE BUDGET. ETHEL EDLOW OF 316 8TH ST., NW AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SECTOR TWO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF MRS. MARY ALICE JONES AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPER. MRS. EDLOW STATED ELIMINATING THE POSITION WOULD BE DETREMENTAL TO THE COMMUNITY AND A TREMENDOUS LOSS. JEAN ALSTON OF HARDY DRIVE INDICATED SHE HAD POLLED HER NEIGHBOR- HOOD AND FOUND THAT MRS. MARY ALICE JONES HAD MADE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. SHE STAED THAT IT WOULD BE A GREAT INJUSTICE TO ELIMINATE THE POSITION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPER. THELMA SPEARS OF 812 HARDY DRIVE ASKED COUNCIL NOT TO CUT THE POSITION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPER, STATING THAT THE JOB IS AN IMPORTANT ONE TO THE COMMUNITY. SHE STATED SHE HAD RECEIVED ASSISTANCE MANY TIMES FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPER AND THAT SHE HAS LEARNED TO TRUST AND TO DEPEND ON MRS. MARY ALICE JONES. SHE SPOKE OF THE YOUTH ENRI6HMENT PROGRAM, INDICATING THAT HER CHE. LD HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE PRGGRAM FOR FIVE YEARS. SHE CONTINUED, SAYING THAT HER CHILD HAS ENJOYED THE TRIPS AND LEARNED MANY THINGS THROUGH THE PROGRAM AND THAT THE PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED AN OPBORTUNITY FOR THE YOUTH IN THE COMMUNITY TO VISIT NEW PLACES THEY WOULD NORMALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOSOT. LILLIAN SMITH OF THE WESTHAVEN CONCERNS COMMITTEE ADDRESSED COUNCIL WITH HER CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF THE PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPER. MS. SMITH SPOKE ~ THE~RB8GRAMS PROVIDED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPER. MS. SMITH SPOKE OB THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO THE ELDERLY THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOP- MENT PROGRAM AND CONSIDERED MRS. JONES TO BE A WARM, CONCERNED PER- SON FOR THE ELDERLY TO TALK TO.