TRUMBULL MRDD 12 laid off; 3 programs chopped

The board made cuts of 782,783.
By ED RUNYAN
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- The Trumbull County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities has authorized laying off 12 employees and eliminating three programs to combat budgetary problems associated with federal funding cuts.
The layoffs, which go into effect April 2, will save 708,294 annually, although 150,000 of the layoffs are for vacant positions that won't be filled. The program cuts will save another 74,489. The MRDD board approved the cuts at its meeting Monday.
Dr. Douglas A. Burkhardt, superintendent, said the board needed to trim some expenses from its 23 million budget in anticipation of going to voters in 2008 for additional money.
Burkhardt cited three areas that are hurting the board financially:
UA federal program called Community Alternative Funding System, which was eliminated in 2006, cost the agency about 3.5 million annually, Burkhardt said.
UThe federal government will require the agency to re-evaluate all adults living in privately run residential services programs this year. Burkhardt said he believes the result will be that program operators will have to be paid higher rates per person. He predicts the increased cost to the agency will be about 1 million per year.
U MRDD will be required to evaluate staffing levels in the adult services areas, such as workshops where retarded individuals are employed. Burkhardt predicted the additional cost to the agency that will be required by the federal government after that evaluation also will be about 1 million per year.
Programs, layoffs
The board, which operates the Fairhaven School in Niles, three workshops, a transportation department, a seniors program and a school-to-work training program, employs about 350 people and serves about 1,100 students and adults.
It approved the these layoffs: one procurement specialist earning 52,814 annually, including benefits; two licensed practical nurses earning 112,141; seven personal service assistants earning 259,065 (two of the positions are vacant); one school nurse earning 56,181; two custodians earning 106,411; one Medicaid compliance worker, earning 75,189 (also vacant); and one employment specialist earning 46,493.
Programming cuts approved are a 29,000 stipend to help run a summer program operated by the Association for Retarded Citizens, a preschool summer program at a cost of 16,640, and transportation for both programs at a cost of 28,849.
Burkhardt said he is hopeful the 782,783 in cuts will enable to the board to continue operation through 2008 and offset the loss of the CAFS money. Depending on the outcome of the re-evaluations of the two other programs, either additional layoffs would be required in 2008 or additional levy money, Burkhardt said.
"We feel strongly not to have a knee-jerk reaction to go to taxpayers" to offset the loss of revenue, Burkhardt said. "We want to look inside first."
An MRDD tax issue was last on the ballot in November 2005, when voters approved a 2.25-mill, 10-year replacement levy. Burkhardt said at the time that failure of that levy would have resulted in layoffs for 113 employees.
MRDD also has a 1.5-mill levy expiring in 2012 and a 1-mill continuing levy.
runyan@vindy.com