City Council Tape #1

Take care assistance is entirely separate. I know. But that amount of money, the take care assistance, if we have increased facilities in this town and increased population needing, take care of services, that will go up on its own. Yeah, that is an addition to that. So, if I understood you correctly, 30,000 on a continuing basis, and that's just the microphone, prayer terms, or... Well, in speaking to both Representative Bankley's office and Senator Sakez, both of them have indicated that they understand the day care problems across the state, and it's something that really needed very little explanation, and they offered no resistance. You know, so whether or not it's just for their terms, I don't know, I of course intended vote for Sakez, you know, next time, so let's see. Okay. I'm married the... Do you presently own the city, oh, the city, $4,000 on the sewer, and you would like...

You're asking for that to be forgiven, and then to be exempt from paying for it in the area, and I just want to be sure to understand the request here. And you are asking for $10,000 to cover April and to the end of May, and then an additional $10,000 in the next budget. For all those other items? At this point, a firm commitment, no. They're both talking. We've heard from the Lands Club and the VFW, and hopefully something will happen at the next night in Lands Club on Thursday.

I noticed in your proposed age 78, that $20,000 for insurance, and if I remember correctly in the breakout, you gave us from July to February, you had about $15,000 in insurance, but when I looked back at your audited statements from 80 to 85, there was no insurance listed on the auditors. This is the... Insurance state, our accountants have put the insurance cost into administration rather than putting it out project by project. We've been working out a formula, whereas whereby we can determine what portion each project is of the various types of insurance that we must carry. Well, last time, it seemed like I ended up doing, we were asking for $16,000 to think

of it as we had the paypal, and now it's $10,000 to be under the net. No, it was $16,000 for April and May, but if anybody else we've been trying to cut our budget way down, it's quite cut. And closing the infants in and makes a major difference in what our operating costs are going to be. You're asking for the service agencies to come up with ongoing basis, about $4,000 a year. For a while, until our own fundraising efforts can come up, we have great hopes for the customer from ICE Classic. But that will take three to five years. And my fundraiser currently is just wrapped up full-time with that one project. We plan to do several other major events during the year also, but that's our most important

one to get out right now because we believe that it can grow quite large and it can provide an ongoing, a large, ongoing source of discretionary income for the corporation. Do you think that's a realistic figure from the service organization? Why understanding was in the VFW and said, no, last week? Well, it all depends on who you talk to, I guess, and how hard we lobby. But it's not just me asking, you know, it's the parents in the community. And we're not asking to be carried, you know, in perpetuity until we are willing to assume a large responsibility for the deficit, but we need time to come back from what's happened and what's happening now. And we still believe, as a service organization ourselves, that this is a very necessary service in this community. It's one of the things that determines what kind of a community it is.

Well, I don't know my first to the councilman, but I know I have received more communications, more phone calls, more people stopping me on the streets to discuss this issue than any other one that I have encountered in the year. I have described it on council, and every one of the people who spoke to me were in favor of supporting the daycare center, which was something like seven people. I mean, maybe not that the time out of, we were talking about the $16,000, and people said, well, maybe you don't, the city doesn't have the money. There must be something that the city can do to help them, which I have liked the idea of, perhaps, for giving the past sewer charges and exempting them from the sewer charges in the future. If it doesn't really cross the city anything special, they're going to be tied onto the line. I think they presented a very good case here on what all they do for the community and for the children,

and for the parents. And I think I would be trying to change my stand for my initial stand and be more supportive. Councillor this morning. I think the thing that I keep coming back to is the fact that you're projecting an $84,000 deficit for next year, and what's to be done with the deficit that's already approved for this fiscal year. None of these things are going to address the current deficit. The liquidation of the land and one of our only assets that's liquidifiable is the major one, and also working with Zach it's office to come up with not just the money for ongoing, but to help cover that deficit. Plus whatever we can get from the service organizations.

I have to say that the people I've heard from since the last meeting will as a matter of fact eroding down. I'm going to say names for others to tell you what was said to me, either over the phone or in person. One parent said that they had transferred their trial from one day care out to Norma Jean because she felt that they had a better nutrition program at Norma Jean. Another parent commented that it seemed that in the parent meetings that were going on with BCS this the last couple weeks that that parent didn't feel that the board or the administration were doing what the parents wanted. There were specifics that parents had asked as far as questions and information and they felt that the council had asked for some specifics at the regular council meeting two weeks ago. And that those questions were not being answered satisfactorily for lots of the parents and they also felt for the council.

I had one call who said that they were supported they needed it. It was difficult to find a babysitter. Another parent called and said I used to have my children in their years ago when this is rich in Norma Jean were directing it. It was marvelous, but I wouldn't have a kid out there now. I am against what's happening out there. There's a lot of mismanagement, it's all being dumped on the city. Administration needs to work out their problems and sell the problem about caring for the kids. Another parent called and said that they were pleased with the progress that the kids had made in the program and the care that they had gotten. But they're really upset with the way the problem that's evident now had been presented to the parents. That people come to council for everything.

Maybe council could support some way, but there seems to be internal problems. That's basically what I've heard. So I really am in a quandary as far as changing my original decision. The city doesn't have the money. What other kind of support do you want? You said philosophically. I'd like to ask if there are any parents here who would address any of that. Parents who've been to the meetings who feel that their questions haven't been answered. Is there anybody who feels that their questions have not been answered? Well, I can already tell you those parents are not here tonight. And they probably weren't at the meeting either. So they might have been feeling it wasn't necessary, Mary. Well, I mean, I don't want to down those parents who made those comments to me. Two of the parents who was calling me over the phone said they did not feel comfortable in addressing alarms. Both of them were very supportive.

The conversations I've had with people in the last week have been both on the phone. The person who has been 60, 40 against funding. Was there any particular reason that kept coming up? The people who were four were universally people who had children in the daycare center. The people who were against it were also parents. But who felt that the city should not be bailing out various organizations. Basically, the basic theme that ran through all of them. Excuse me, can I say something? Is $10,000 a bailout for $160,000 deficit? It is that it's not going to be utilized and that the program is going to go down the tube anyway. I think that's my biggest concern is I don't really have a problem in saying, okay, I think the city should give $10,000.

But I have a problem in saying, we'll give $10,000, but there's no assurances that the program will go beyond next month. I think that if I was going to be convinced to vote for this $10,000, it would have to be only with the qualifications that the money from the second did come through that you also got funding from other sources so that the program would be an ongoing program. But the city doesn't have any money to throw away. And if in fact it will save the program and make it go so that we will have a daycare program, that's fine. But just to take a slice off the top of the debits is not what we need to do. We can't afford to throw that $10,000 away. We're not asking to take a slice off the top of the debits in order to remain open for two more months. I can't go anywhere into the red. The $10,000 would prevent me from going into the red and would not allow the deficit not to increase. The other thing is that everybody says the same thing.

We'd love to give you something and we'd love to help you. But we can't do it until somebody else does it. We are willing to take the risk. We are working to cover the deficit of this year and make sure it doesn't happen again. We're in a much more difficult position. I think right now in the city because we're a much smaller corporation and with a proportionately much larger deficit. But I don't believe that we're going to go under. The legislative session runs two more months and it's going to be impossible to know if anybody else is worked in a legislative session until the very last minute. And it gets through the governor what we're going to be able to get from Juneau this year. I can't make you any promises. All I can tell you is that we have been received very favorably in Juneau and that they have pledged that they will work to provide us with some level of support. We're hoping a high level of support. We have been contacted by several members of service organizations saying that they are contemplating doing this. And I say one meets to not one meets Thursday.

I don't know how much more specifically we can get on a plan to stay open. We're taking a giant leap of faith. We think that we know that it's based very firmly on what our capabilities are. And I couldn't come before City Council to represent any organization to ask you to throw money away. But I know also that if we lose the momentum and close the doors before the plan summer closure, it is going to be very difficult to maintain any kind of levels of support from all of the places that we're seeking it. I'd like to say something about this situation here. I cannot audit the support and organization that keeps operating on a common basis.

And I don't see anything where you're not already in the red. I feel we are encouraging the law-praying in the office. We usually go ahead and tell us, okay, we'll help you out. And most of all, I can't see just giving them any monetary support to stay in a deficit situation. And you're just like prolonging the agony that they're going to meet their end anyway. And the other thing, I can't honestly accept a request to have the city say, well, we'll forgive you the $4,000 that come into us. And I just can't support an organization that operates that way.

They're $150,000 in the whole, and they're forecasting another $84,000 in the whole for next year. And the city needs money too. I feel that if we said, okay, we'll forgive you the $4,000 in the office. Other organizations are going to come. Other businesses are going to come and take, well, I owe you this money. Can you forgive me that? So I can't. You know, honestly, support the request for $4,000 for giving a bet. Yeah. I think that they care hinges on their vote. I think that the city, the city council, can say to this community, we think our young children are important, and we're going to spend $10,000 to risk sitting with them, and get them care.

I'm just a parent. I'm not really a political impider. I don't belong to the action committee. I don't know how the death of day care occurred. But I also, right now, I feel 100% confident in the management that's there now. And I think the management that they're there right now is given the time and the opportunity to work on the death. It will be resolved. I, for one, don't feel that the program is destined for doing. And I also support the quality of the program. I have a son who just accepted him to give the children a program at ME. His strength for social awareness and creativity, all of which I owe completely to Norma Jean. So, as far as the quality of the program, I think that's not a question. As far as the management, right now, that's not a question. And, you know, I realize that the city is having a tough time. And I realize the city is doing this best to control the budget and still maintain these central services.

And I say, if you don't call day care in central service, it's the next best thing that isn't. So, I definitely think they deserve a vote of confidence from city council, at least. And if the $10,000 will give them the time to control the death and bring it under control, I say it's money lost, man. What's this going? The day care is something that this community needs and whether it's the community services that operate towards the city or it's together somehow, I feel it's your responsibility as our representatives to work with the community and with better community services to find a way to keep day care on day care. However, that may be, we have to have day care. So, we did have concerns. A lot of the concerns were answered with meetings

that VCS provided for the parents to attend. The parents are showing, even in their passing through their questionable period of the administration by forming the parent advisory committee that we're willing to accept and work with the health community services administration for and hopefully provide ideas and create committees so that we can help provide funding continue day care. And I just want to ask the city council in the mail to support the day care because they are our future. Sir, I don't know. My name is John Thomas and I am not a parent. But when I work with the children while trying, and as a Bush justice seminar, there were a lot of comments about how important children were to the world. And I see the thing that I remember hearing how I'm saying children were to the world almost all my life. And I cannot understand that all health community cannot support a child care.

And all city council that choose not to support a child care. Here regardless of whether there's a mystery from the other kind of problems, if there's a plan in force, and $10,000 is sufficient to assist and the motivation for other people to ask them input into that. And maybe assist in the continuation of services that the city needs in the first place. It justifies my imagination to understand how it will reflect between a thousand dollars to return down even under the current economic conditions. That the city of council donate $10,000 to the Big Care Center if it is matched by service organizations within the community. Part two, forgive the present debt of $4,000

for sewage. And the third one is, if all above are met, and the legislative funding does come through, consider donation, consider... I don't know. We call it in the budget. No, just when you're presented. A line item in the budget for the Big Care Center for the coming year. That's just a consider that's not. That means that you guys have to come out and support. Thank you. Thank you.