Funding for crisis services provided by Youth Alternatives Ingraham and a new teen services position at Walker Memorial Library were added to Westbrook’s city budget Monday, before it received preliminary approval from the City Council.
With the two new items – $3,500 for crisis services and $20,440 for the library – the total budget is $53.6 million, which represents an increase of 1.1 percent or 16 cents in the tax rate from the current budget. The council will vote to give the budget final approval on Monday, June 2.
The additional funding given to crisis services was per a request by Mike Miles, vice president of human resources and training for Youth Alernatives Ingraham, a nonprofit organization that provides social services and mental health services.
In years past, Ingraham has received $2,000 from the city for its services. However, when Ingraham recently merged with Youth Alternatives, the request for funding was overlooked.
According to Miles, at a time when state funding is lower, receiving funding from the city is even more crucial. He said 2,048 Westbrook residents called the Youth Alternatives Ingraham hotline in the past year for information and assistance with issues such as suicide, domestic violence, health care and mental illness. Of those calls, 930 were made after hours when all other service providers are closed. The mobile outreach team, which meets with people in crisis, responded to 95 calls from people in Westbrook.
Between the hotline calls and the mobile crisis responses, Youth Alternatives Ingraham provided $42,800 in services to Westbrook residents over the past year, according to Miles.
The council voted 5-2, with Councilors Lyle Cramer and John O’Hara opposed, to add $3,500 to fund crisis services.
The request for an additional teen services position at the library came from Karen Valley, director of the Walker Memorial Library.
Valley said 12 to 20 teens on average are using the library’s new teen room in the afternoon and evening and on Saturday, and there is not enough staff to properly monitor and assist the teens. She said in the past week a number of instances, including inappropriate language, theft of headsets and damage to books, have made it clear that there is a need for an additional staff member that would be dedicated to the teen room.
The council voted 5-2, with O’Hara and Councilor Suzanne Joyce opposed, to add $20,438 to fund a teen services position at the library.
The council voted 7-0 to give preliminary approval to the total budget.
“I think this is a very responsible budget,” said Councilor Michael Foley.
Councilor Drew Gattine and Council President Brendan Rielly commended Foley for his work as chairman of the Finance Committee, a position he took over from Ed Symbol, who resigned from the council in March.
“Westbrook has done a better job than most communities planning ahead for bad economic times,” said Rielly. “That’s a testament to everyone involved in the process.”
The City Council will vote to give the budget final approval at a meeting on Monday, June 2, at 7 p.m. in Room 114 at Westbrook High School.
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