Panel will consider actions to help needy

By Tim Yovich

If approved by county commissioners, there will be summer jobs for 300 to 400 young people.

WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners are expected today to allow more money to be spent to help the poor.

Thomas Mahoney, director of the county’s Department of Job and Family Services, sought the increase in services during the commissioners’ Tuesday work session.

Added funding is needed, he said, because of the increased cost of fuel prices and downturn in the economy.

Three initiatives would be revisions to the county’s Prevention, Retention and Contingency Plan. Commissioners are being asked to decide on allocations of federal and state money.

Commissioners will consider increasing the gas card benefit from $200 annually to $600 a year. Mahoney explained that the added benefit is needed so those “working poor” who are employed at minimal paying jobs can continue to work and not fall into unemployment, making them totally dependent on public assistance.

Since July 1, 2007, the county agency has provided $131,150 in gas cards.

Another revision in the plan, Mahoney said, is to provide an additional $1,000 annually so those with low incomes can avoid shutoffs of oil, gas and electricity that are used for heating.

Since July 1, 2007, $406,529 has been spent to assist with utility costs, according to the county agency.

A third revision is a contract with the Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority to administer a summer youth work program.

Mahoney said between 300 and 400 youths age 15 to 21 and below the poverty level will be eligible. This will cost between $400,000 and $500,000. He noted that this is actually a decrease since between $1 million and $1.5 million was once spent on the summer job program.

In addition, Mahoney is seeking an added $90,000 to train the unemployed, underemployed and dislocated workers.

He also wants the commissioners to approve an added $30,000 for the Trumbull Career and Technical School in Warren. This would bring the contract to $180,000 during a one-year period, used to train students in mechanics and auto body.

Another $30,000 is being sought to train adults in diesel mechanics at the New Castle School of Trades, Pulaski, Pa. This will bring the contract with the trade school for a year to $77,000, most of it for instruction in the building trades.

Also on the agenda is to increase the contract with TDDS Technical Institute in Lake Milton by $30,000, bringing the total one-year contract to $260,000 to train truck drivers and diesel mechanics.

This money doesn’t go far, Mahoney said, since tuition and books at TDDS cost between $7,000 and $10,000 per student.

yovich@vindy.com