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Children Services told to cut spending
More: Fox opposes more secrecy | Bill to shield foster records
Comment: Post your thoughts about this issue
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
HAMILTON — At a workshop with county commissioners Monday, Butler County Children Services officials said renewing its levy next year would ultimately leave the budget $2 million short.
But commissioners said they want Michael Fox, the agency's new director, to make every possible effort to cut spending before they would support an additional tax.
Extras
"I'm going to tell you, if there's an increase, you guys are going to have to do a hard sell," said Commissioner Donald Dixon.
The 2-mill levy that provides about $13 million of the agency's $27.8 million budget is up for renewal in March before expiring in 2009. But that yield will slowly decrease to $11 million as personal
property tax is phased out over five years.
"You're not going to get through the five-year cycle," Fox said.
Fox said his agency already is spending $1.2 million more a year than it takes in, and is struggling to cut spending.
Civil service rules prevent him from getting rid of six unnecessary positions, which would save the agency about $600,000, Fox said.
"There's a whole layer of management that's not needed," he said.
Dixon pressed Fox on proposals he'd made before they hired him in August to "look at what's there, see how it can be restructured, see how we can help kids ... and not throw money at the problem."
Fox said he's taking steps to stem spending by reducing staff and shortening the time it takes to handle each case. But these fixes take time, he said, because he inherited such a poorly managed agency.
"It's like dismantling a bomb that was set to go off," he said.
But, Fox stressed, his agency needs the renewal even if they can't get a new levy.
"It's a disaster if we don't get the renewal," he said. "That will have a catastrophic impact on our ability to protect children."
Commissioners have until Dec. 20 to decide whether a renewal or a new levy, or both, would go on the March ballot.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.
Comments
By WarrenCountyFosterParent
October 10, 2007 8:12 PM | Link to this
Josh is absolutely right. While I respect Mike Fox’s belief that he is proposing the right thing, I guarantee you will lose foster parents. How can I be so sure? Because our 17 years as foster parents will end if this happens. I have nothing to hide from any agency that will keep my information confidential; I have been investigated and fingerprinted more than once as part of my current license. However, having anything publicly available is not acceptable.
By kbc
October 10, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Why are we persecuting foster parents when it is obvious that BCCSB is at fault? If the agency was following up with cases properly this would not be an issue.
By Randy Rouse
October 10, 2007 6:51 PM | Link to this
How about screening people who take advantage of the agencies “free services” when they owe other city/county agencies as well as numerous creditors. Why propogate “deadbeats” when they should be held accountable for themselves? Providing for those who really need the services would be time/money well spent. I know of a party personally that is utilizing CESA yet has an outstanding judgement in excess of $1000 to the City of Hamilton. Why not eliminate “services abuse”?
By Concerned Mom
October 10, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this
Take it from someone who has had the privilige of Mike Fox fighting for her child, MIKE FOX CARES ABOUT CHILDREN IN BUTLER COUNTY. During my divorce my ex-husband purgeried himself over and over, everyone knew it, NO ONE CARED except for Mike Fox and a detective at Butler County Sheriff’s Department. Because of the publicity Mike Fox was able to get on this subject my ex-husband received supervised visitations and my daughter has been safe. Mike Fox is a children’s advocate.
By Honest Abe
October 10, 2007 3:24 PM | Link to this
My…The Journal loves Mike Fox, as he is surely one who can always get print when things are slow. Mike Fox should not be in this position, and he is just making noise as always. Never a dull moment when Mike Fox and the Journal get together. I’d like all of commissioners home addresses and numbers to vent my frustrayion and acrimony as to the manner they selected Mike Fox. Once again, the Journal gives “Megaphone” Mike a voice heard through print. Ad nauseum.
By grammar please preacher
October 10, 2007 1:20 PM | Link to this
franklin,preacher,is,your,comma,key,and,space,bar,broken,?
By Smart Preacher
October 10, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
preacher, is, your, comma, key, on, your, keyboard, stuck,?
By Josh
October 10, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this
I agree that foster parents need to be highly scrutinized before being allowed to foster or adopt children. However, I believe it creates a safety issue by making public the names and addresses of the foster families. Many of these children are pulled out of violent homes, homes were drugs are an issue. The last thing the child/foster parents need is some drugged up violent birth parent coming to their house with a weapon trying to get their child. How about Fox’s home address made public?
By Terry
October 10, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this
Fosterparents need to be thoroughly screened before child placement.The placement is between the agency and the foster family.Isee no point in making the placement public on who the child is or who they will be living with.Itis none of the publics business.It is the publics business when the foster family hasn’t been properly screened and there are no follow up visits that lead to child abuse including murder as in the Fiesel case.We wouldn’t need public scrutiny if the agency was doing it’s job
By j green
October 10, 2007 12:33 PM | Link to this
Bravo for Fox to reiterate his message!
By joyce
October 10, 2007 10:40 AM | Link to this
i havea ex dauger in law who works for for cildren servicios ihave letterscwritten by her ex husband father in law about the way she did her kids she stays every night her nane i Jean snelling
By preacher,franklin,ohio
October 10, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this
about,time,they,did,something,geter,done,for,jesus,god,bless,you,all.
By Former CSB employee
October 10, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this
I use to work at Butler County Children Services and agree with Mike Fox, there is a whole level of management that is not needed. While I was there I saw people promoted in Supervisory positions that should not have placed in a supervisory position, one was forced to step down about 3 or 4 years ago over the case where a child died in a trailer fire. The agency was quick to but people through 2 many prog. in 2 short of a time making it difficult to do the programs and maintain a job.
By Diane Burkart
October 10, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this
When my grandson was in the care of Foster people, he was injured in two of the homes. In one home he was neglected. The foster people didn’t know how to give him a bath and change diapers. The other foster people hired a nurse (at the expense of the state) to take care of him. He was overdose on seizure medication which caused more seizures. We got him back, we cut him down on the medication, he became active and happy. If left in the foster homes he would have stayed a vegetable.
By Rick T.
October 10, 2007 8:39 AM | Link to this
I adopted a child many years ago. I feel that the adopting parents need to be checked out completely before they ever reach the point of adopting or fostering. However, to make their names public I feel would endanger the child. When I was in the process, they interviewed my co-workers, neighbors, friends, family, extensive police check. The part of the adoption that greatly concerned me was, after they place the child into my home for the six month trial, I never saw the case worker.