Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

DATE:

March 26, 2009

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM:

Casey Toomay, Budget Manager / Interim Transit Administrator;

Margene K. Swarts, Assistant Director, Planning and Development Services

CC:

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager

Scott McCullough, Director, Planning and Development Services

RE:

Request from Lawrence Community Shelter for Reallocation of Salvation Army Emergency Shelter/Day Services Funding in 2009.

 

Under the attached agreements, The Salvation Army (see attached funding agreement) was to receive $30,000 and Lawrence Community Shelter (see attached funding agreement) was to receive $19,000 from the City for emergency shelter services in 2009.  Effective May 1, 2009, The Salvation Army is scheduled to cease operation of their emergency shelter, leaving Lawrence Community Shelter as the sole provider of emergency shelter services in Lawrence.  There is a possibility TSA emergency shelter may stay open an additional two weeks two help with night sheltering while the LCS finalizes an additional night shelter location. 

 

The attached letter from LCS requests that funds awarded to The Salvation Army for the purpose of providing emergency shelter services be reallocated to Lawrence Community Shelter.  The Salvation Army has agreed to relinquish their funding for emergency shelter services with the exception of an additional $2,500 should they remain open after May 1. See attached letter from the Salvation Army.     

 

Under their agreement with the City, a request for fifty percent (50%) of The Salvation Army’s total allocation shall be submitted on or after March 1, 2009.  A request for the remaining fifty percent (50%) of The Salvation Army’s total allocation shall be submitted on or after September 1, 2009. 

 

Issues to be consider and addressed are: 

 

1)     What is the appropriate level of funding for The Salvation Army for emergency services provided from January through April,

2)     Should the remaining funds be reallocated to LCS,

3)     If the remaining funds are reallocated to LCS, what would be the timing? 

 

Assuming The Salvation Army allocation for emergency shelter services of $30,000 is divided evenly over twelve months, payment for services for January through April would total $10,000 ($30,000/12 =$2,500 x 4=$10,000.)  The remaining balance of the funds for emergency shelter services, or $20,000, could be reallocated to LCS in October, when the second disbursement of funds will be made, provided the City has adequate funding to make the disbursements.   

 

This funding represents the difference between one-half and one-third of the original allocation for emergency shelter services.  The second half of The Salvation Army funds for emergency shelter services ($15,000) would be disbursed to LCS in October, assuming the state does not eliminates the disbursement of liquor tax proceeds to cities.  The $5,000 (or portion thereof)  remaining from the first ½ of the allocation could be disbursed to LCS at that time as well, depending on timing of the closing of TSA emergency shelter.  

 

The Salvation Army will continue to provide day services, for which they will receive $10,000 from the City.  However, should LCS relocate or otherwise be able to increase their capacity to provide day services, The Salvation Army has agreed to relinquish the balance of their funding for day services to LCS. 

 

Should you have further questions, please let me know.