Voters will have the opportunity to help keep the most vulnerable citizens of Lawrence County, our children, in a safe environment on March 4.

The levy generated dollars will help pay the expenses for children in foster care. There has never been any questioning by county residents to the commitment and importance of abuse and neglected prevention for our children, but rather a question of “Why now?”

The following are some of the reasons for the levy:

4Keeping children safe

4In 2003, specific mandates changed for all funding, decreasing flexibility options for spending

4Number of children in custody have increased

4Amount of funding has decreased by approximately 10 percent annually.

4Attrition has been extensively exercised

The agency does not receive any county money to help with the expenses of foster care. The agency has pursued all available state and federal dollars to cover the cost of keeping children in a safe environment.

I have refrained from stating what will happen if the levy does not pass. Again, continual increases in cost, coupled with decreases in funding, have caused this issue.

The agency is mandated by law to be a child advocacy agency. The goal of the agency is to provide a safe environment for abused and neglected children. However, the agency will “live within its means” and provide the degree of service this allows.

Passage of the levy will help the agency provide a safe environment for the most vulnerable population of Lawrence County. I hope this answers most of the concerns regarding the levy. Please vote Yes on March 4.

Donald E. Myers

Director LCDJFS