<div dir="ltr"><div>There is a reason why the county is more pro-active on this matter.  They are bound by Idaho state law to provide for county indigent, and have the budget to do so.  The city has no such legal binding.</div><div><br></div><div>The county is being fiscally responsible by being pro-active now, since their costs will increase if Sojourners' goes away.</div><div><br></div><div>The city will likely also see increased costs via added police costs, so they may also consider supporting Sojourners'.  One might even think they are morally bound to support Sojourners'.  But they have no legal responsibility.</div><div><br></div><div>Just some grist for the mill...</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jun 23, 2016 at 5:01 AM, Moscow Cares <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:moscowcares@moscow.com" target="_blank">moscowcares@moscow.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto"><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">As Latah County leads the way.</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The City of Moscow's response: "   "</span></div><div><br></div><div>Courtesy of today's (June 23, 2016) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with a very, VERY special thank you to Latah County Social Services.</div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><h1 style="font-size:30px;outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;font-weight:400;font-family:Verdana,Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:34px"><span style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;color:rgb(204,0,0);line-height:38px;font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">Social Services seeks extra funding in wake of Sojourners' troubles</span></h1><p style="font-size:18px;outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:10px 0px 10px 20px;line-height:24px;color:rgb(153,153,153);background-image:url(http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/dnews.com/content/tncms/live/components/core_base_library/resources/images/dingbat.gif);font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-position:0% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat no-repeat">County department handles indigent assistance</p><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The Latah County Social Services Department requested additional funding Wednesday in its proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year to help with housing and utility costs during the temporary - and possibly permanent - closure of Sojourners' Alliance.</span></p><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The department, which handles the county's indigent needs by providing money for medical, hospital, mental health, burials, housing and utility services, made the request during a budget presentation to the Latah County Commissioners.</span></p><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The department's overall $531,661 budget request for the 2016-17 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, is an increase of $17,500 from 2015-16. Henrianne Westberg, clerk/auditor/recorder for the county, said the increase isn't bad considering it includes bringing Veterans' Services into the department and possible assistance for Sojourners' Alliance.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The proposed budget for indigent housing increased by $18,000 to $30,000. Westberg said the increase is to prepare for a possible influx of people seeking assistance with the closure of Sojourners' Alliance.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">In a budget presentation Monday, Steve Bonnar, executive director for the transitional housing facility, said Sojourners' Alliance will be closing Sept. 1 for a tentative two-month-long period. If adequate funding cannot be secured by then, the opening date may be pushed back, he said.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"This is anticipating people leaving Sojourners' (and) having nowhere to go and landing at the county needing assistance," Westberg said.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">While Sojourners' Alliance and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are providing current residents with assistance to find stable housing come the temporary closure, Richard Walser, chair of the board of county commissioners, said he thinks everyone can agree the county wants to help.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The commissioners also discussed taking some of the additional funding requested for the indigent housing and utilities and putting it in a separate fund to be used at the discretion of the commissioners. He said it could work as a way to offer assistance to those who don't fit the guidelines required of the indigent fund, but still need help during the closure of the center.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"I'd prefer to have the discretionary line because it gives us a little more flexibility," Walser said. "Since Sojourners' future is cloudy, and let's say that program got going again and they needed a little more money, we could help in some way."</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Westberg said she will have to discuss the possibility of a discretionary fund with the county prosecutor before that could be done.</span></p></div><div style="outline:0px;margin:0px;padding:0px;float:none!important"><p style="outline:0px;margin:10px 0px 0px;padding:0px;line-height:24px;background-image:none;float:none!important"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">The department is also asking for $100,000 to deal with an increase in mental holds. In 2015, $82,000 was spent by the county on mental health holds, Westberg said.</span></p></div></div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------------</div><div><br><div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">"Moscow Cares" </span></div><div><a style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)" href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" target="_blank"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">  </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div><br>=======================================================<br>
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