(PHOTO BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FOSTER HOMES … JFS Director Kylee Towne and two of her employees discuss the desperate need for more foster homes located in Williams County.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
On Thursday, February 27th, Job and Family Services Director Kylee Towne met with the Williams County Commissioners to give a quarterly update. During this update, Towne expressed the need for more foster care families in Williams County.
The agency currently has 52 youths in its care, with 30 of them situated outside the county. This number is significant, but it can fluctuate daily due to ongoing processes.
The high number of youths in out-of-county foster homes has led to increased costs for the agency.
At present, the agency is spending approximately $315,000 per month on the foster care of these youth. Given this expenditure, the agency’s current funding is at risk of being depleted in about five months.
Towne has stated that she is exploring available funding options to ensure the agency does not completely run out of resources.
The agency does not receive any revenue when a child is taken into care. “No money comes from taking these children,” Towne stated.
In fact, the agency incurs expenses to provide housing for these children. Towne also mentioned that Williams County is not the only one facing these challenges; surrounding counties are experiencing similar situations at this time.
A significant issue for Williams County is the lack of group homes. Currently, youth who require placement in group homes have to be housed out of the county, which incurs much higher costs. Towne expressed a desire to see this situation change.
Establishing group homes within the county would facilitate reunification efforts, as families wouldn’t have to travel long distances for visitations or endure prolonged periods without contact.
Commissioner Terry Rummel recently had a conversation with the director of Ohio Job and Family Services in Columbus.
During their discussion, he learned that the agency is allocating $30 million in funding for a pilot program aimed at establishing new facilities. Rummel mentioned that Williams County might be interested in participating in this initiative.
Towne emphasized the urgent need for foster families, particularly for teenagers and teenage girls.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster parent can reach out to her office for more information, and she can assist in starting the application process.
The commissioners discussed a permit application regarding work in the county right-of-way for a water line with County Engineer Todd Roth.
The Village of Pioneer requested the permit to install water lines for AquaBounty using the county’s right-of-way.
Previously, the county denied the permit, arguing that the water lines did not qualify as a public utility. However, a federal court recently ruled otherwise, stating that the county needs to reconsider the issue.
The commissioners have the option to appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court but noted that their legal counsel advised them there is a very low chance the court would accept the case.
Roth suggested that issues should be addressed, including a road use maintenance agreement that specifies the roads in the area will be rebuilt if damaged by equipment during the project.
“I need protection that I’m not going to have to come back and spend a couple hundred thousand dollars repairing that road,” said Roth.
Roth stated that if the commissioners decide to issue the permit, they should discuss it before signing off, and Pioneer officials should also be involved in these discussions.
The commissioners were advised that if they decide not to appeal the state supreme court’s decision and permit the work, homeowners in the project area could take legal action to prevent it.
The commissioner has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, March 3, at 11:00 a.m. to discuss the issue further.