Trustee expects more demand for township assistance services
Plans for Center Township to kick $750,000 from its Rainy Day Fund toward a new park in partnership with the city of Valparaiso are in question because the township likely needs the money for expanded services.
Center Tow n s h i p Trustee Jesse Harper, who took office Jan. 1, sent a letter to Va l p a - raiso Mayo r Jo n Costas on Jan. 28 stating that he expects increased demands on the need for poor relief to require his office to keep the money in the Rainy Day Fund.
Costas, via email, confirmed he received Harper’s letter and said, “(I) certainly respect his perspective on use of township funds.” He referred further questions to Valparaiso Parks Executive Director John Siebert.
The city and township entered into an agreement for a joint park board and shared finances and responsibilities in December 2017 under former Center Township Trustee Doug Miller. That agreement requires the town- ship to contribute $65,000 a year toward the parks, as well as provide $750,000 toward a new park.
“We do not want to pull out of the interlocal (agreement). I think the agreement is good,” Harper said, adding his concern is the Rainy Day Fund.
Harper didn’t want officials to rely on the money as they scout the location for a new park and then find out they weren’t receiving it.
The Rainy Day Fund has almost $1 million, Harper said, but he expects increased services to put a demand on some of those funds.
“I would like to be able to expand and still maintain a Rainy Day Fund,” he said, adding the office’s focus is on providing assistance, and park land is secondary to that mission.
According to Harper’s letter, which also was sent to Seibert and to the Center Township Board, the amount for the park land would be more than two and a half times the annual budget for township assistance, and about 80 percent of what’s in the Rainy Day Fund.
Harper wants to increase office hours to serve residents who need assistance but work during the day, according to the letter, and a recent update in income standards will increase the number of applicants who qualify for assistance. Additionally, the growth of the township also will increase demand for services.
Harper plans on holding a public meeting of the township board in the coming weeks to consider the park board agreement and spending funds for a new park.
Seibert said he appreciates Harper’s concerns about the Rainy Day Fund and officials will take a look at them, but the amount specified in the agreement can be negotiated.
“I don’t think we’re going from that to zero,” he said, adding serving t ow n s h i p residents through the agreement makes sense.
Though he declined to divulge specifics, he said the park board recently held an executive session to discuss the possible purchase of land for a new park. If the plans move forward, he said, they will be discussed in a public meeting.
“Our ideal is something south of (U.S.) 30 and close to Heavilin (Elementary School),” Seibert said, adding there are a lot of subdivisions with families south of the highway that could be served by a new park.
Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.