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<br />Keith Letchworth, President of Families and Friends of Orange County
<br />Industries presented a position paper on the Budget Deficit of OPC Mental
<br />Health as it relates to mental retardation services. He distributed to
<br />the Board budget information of Orange County Industries, concerning the
<br />dificit the workshop is currently facing.
<br />Mr. Letchworth stated that the projected revenues for March through
<br />June 30, 1977, totaled $23,526.12 The actual income from July 1, 1976,
<br />to February 2$, 1977 is $39,700.34, yielding a total projected income of
<br />$72,226.46. The 1976-77 budget for the workshop is $80,000, leaving a
<br />projected deficit of $7,773.54, the amount which the workship is request-
<br />ing in order to stay in operation. He stated that if this deficit is not
<br />funded, half of the staff at the workshop would be cut. If this takes
<br />place, the workshop will possibly be in the position of having to dis-
<br />continue services to many clients. Discontinue of services to clients
<br />also terminates income from other sources, ultimately, Orange County
<br />2ndustries would have to close its operations due to lack of income.
<br />Mr. Letchworth asked the Board to continue to provide the monies
<br />necessary for the operation of Orange County 2ndustries, as well as other
<br />programs for the handicapped.
<br />Roselyn Hutter, President of the Orange County Mental Health Associa-
<br />tion, requested that the Orange County Board make a full supplemental
<br />appropriation of the deficit to insure full mental health funding for all
<br />citizens of Orange County.
<br />Chairman Whitted stated that the Mental Health Board anticipated the
<br />termination of twelve persons from the mental health programs in Orange
<br />County. The County has appropriated $54,000 to mental health, however,
<br />$50,000 must yet' be cut from the budget. With the twelve terminations,
<br />the Mental Health Board would come close to meeting the $50,000 projected
<br />budget as of June 30, 1977.
<br />Commissioner Gustaveson asked if the Developmental Center had a
<br />budget prepared. A spokeman for the Center stated that 'she did not have
<br />a budget, but that she' had been informed that of the twelve terminations,
<br />four would be at the Developmental Center and one presently vacant posi-
<br />tion would not be filled, making a total of five terminations.
<br />Mr. Whitted informed the Board that the Financial Officer of OPC-
<br />Mental Health is currently working on component budgets showing components
<br />of the total mental health budget.
<br />Mr. Gustaveson asked if the Orange County local match to the $80,OD0
<br />was $10,000 for Orange County Industries?
<br />Mr. John Eaton, Director of the Program, stated that the $10,000 is
<br />the amount of monies which is written into the MR section of the mental
<br />health budget for each year. He added that he was told by the prior
<br />mental health administration that the workshop would be receiving $10,000
<br />in county monies and $7,000 in match and this is how the revenue budget
<br />was developed. The present $7,000 deficit is because the workshop was
<br />not expecting to get the matching funds, which were anticipated at the
<br />beginning of the year.
<br />Mr. Whitted stated that during the budget year of 1974, the County
<br />Commissioners did appropriate an addition $10,000 which was earmarked
<br />for the Work Activity Center, but the allocation was just for that year,
<br />and subsequent years, an overall appropriation has been made to the
<br />Mental Health Center for the total program.
<br />Commissioner Willhoit asked if the proposed cuts were based on the
<br />full $153,000.
<br />Mr. Whitted replied that the $57,000 figure for the hospital contract,
<br />for six in-patients beds in N. C. Memorial Hospital, had not been renewed
<br />as of July 1, 1977, and therefore, had no immediate effect an this year's
<br />deficit.
<br />Commissioner Gustaveson asked Mr. Turnbull if he would expound further
<br />on his remark regarding long range planning and the possibility of receiving
<br />Federal and'State monies.
<br />Mr. Turnbull stated that beginning October, 1977, .federal funds would
<br />be available to the Orange County School system and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
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