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Show Service Saved For Now By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON More than 7.000 county residents have placed in excess of 1 2,000 calls for assistance to the Davis County Information and Referral Service. THAT AGENCY either answers questions to the callers' cal-lers' satisfaction or refers them to the proper sociat'service or other'agency for help. It has received funding from federal Title 20 sources and United Way. But like the county mental health program, funding could be a problem from Title 20 sources that are to be cut back by one-fourth. That has but the county commissioners in a bind as they try to determine where the allocation should be spent. IN A recent meeting with Marilyn Kelsey, l&R coordinator, coordi-nator, and Larry Burdett, United Un-ited Way executive director. Com. Ernest Eberhard and Harry Gerlach Sr. voted to continue funding the programat prog-ramat $22,500. Com. Glen Saunders was absent. The United Un-ited Way match is set at $7,500. But that doesn't put things into the clear. That funding guarantee by the commissioners commission-ers was made with the stipulation stipula-tion they could cut the program prog-ram on ten days notice. That wasn't their idea, however. They're just following on the heels of a similar clause used by federal Title 20 officials. AND EVEN if the commissioners commis-sioners don't opt for the ten day bow-out, funding assurances assur-ances are iffy, depending on what happens at the state level. Mr. Burdett explained in a Friday morning interview. Under the new block grant procedure of the Reagan Administration, federal funds will be sent directly to the states rather than through regional re-gional channels to, in Utah's case. Denver. It hasn't been set how the state will handle fund issuance after it receives the money, and that's what is worrying people like the county commissioners com-missioners and Mr. Burdett. ON TOP of that, federal funding for the future year won't be set until about Oct. I start of the fiscal year. So a lot could happen in the next few months. The program's' future isn't being left entirely to fate, however. The information and referral citizens committee is set to hold a meeting this week to determine what assistance can be provided including possible use of volunteers to keep the program going. AND UNITED Way'i citizens' committee is also studying ways it could help although any funding assistance assist-ance chances would be slim until January when the new funding year starts, Mr. Burdett Bur-dett said. Davis County's l&R serves a higher percentage of its population than any other such agency in the state. Mr. Burdett Bur-dett noted. "We're dealing with human beings, people with problems who need help. If we can do something immediate, im-mediate, that will save the problem from becoming a crisis." COOPERATION between l&R and the county has been very good, he said, noting knowledge of the county com-missoners' com-missoners' "budget constraints." con-straints." But the constraints should be handled fairly, he added. "Every agency will be hurt but to do away with one at the expense of others is greedy and unrealistic. It would doubt the county commission would doaway with a department due to a budget problem and I don't believe you can eliminate a service because others' demand de-mand is up (for funds)." COMPARING HIS feelings to that of Kep. Jim Hansen, Mr. Burdett said, "A lot of people agree with the President's Presi-dent's cuts until it affects their agency. We've all got to take a cut. tighten our belts and live with it and make it through these tough times. "But to totally do away with one program and spread that $22,000 out over other programs prog-rams won't do that much good even it was plowed into one program. I think Title 20 was organized to provide a range of services based on the needs of the community." |