1/8/1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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sooK , 404 1. Effective January 21, 19.91 (second semester). all After School Programs at elementary sites will have 100% rate increase from $5.00 a week to $10.00 a week per child. Children on the free or reduced lunch program will pay $5.00 per week. Principals in conjunction with the Recreation Director will have the authority to approve hardship cases at no cost. This increase shall make the Indian,River County After School Program a nearly break-even County Recreation Program if attendance remains constant. 2. Children that are 5 and 6 years old will be accepted if there are older siblings in the program or if they are a hardship case and are approved by the principal in conjunction with --the Recreation Director. We request your approval of this policy. Chairman Bird advised that the Board has received several letters and many calls from people concerned about the fee structure and the exclusion of 5 and 6 year olds in the After School Programs. Most of the people, however, were basically in support of the program. We received a letter from Lenora Quimby, owner/director of a local child care center, and alternate member of the Children's Services Advisory-Cornmittee, objecting to the proposed weekly charge being too low. The private child care owners are urging the County to adopt a competitive weekly rate of $30 or decide to serve only the economically disadvantaged. They feel that the $5.00 charge and even the $10.00 charge is unfair. OMB Director Joe Baird advised that the present $5.00 weekly charge does not pay for the program, and even by increasing it to $10 a week, we only would be breaking even. Commissioner Eggert reported that the Children's Services Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend raising the weekly charge from $5 to $10 in an attempt to be fair. Most of the telephone calls were from people objecting to the exclusion of the 5 and 6 year olds, rather than to the higher charge of $10._ These parents have a strong feeling that child care centers focus on the pre-school children and that 5 and 6 year old children going to school should be allowed to participate in the After School Program.since part of this expense is being paid with taypayers' dollars. Director Baird estimated that the weekly charges wou-Id amount to $35,000 and that the expenses would be in that area. It is very hard to estimate the revenues since we don't have any historical data. Commissioner Scurlock pointed out that we do Have historical data from the hot lunch programs in the individual public 46