CUMBERLAND – During its December meeting, the Cumberland Board of Supervisors approved a donation of $3,000 for Madeline's House and authorized a letter be sent to the other eleven counties who have been approached by the center for help in acquiring the funds for the down payment of a new facility.

When Chairman David Meinhard, District Four, asked if the motion should be pending on other counties approval too, suggesting it would put “a little pressure on them,” Supervisor Kevin Ingle, District Three, who made the motion, responded that he did not want to make the center wait for the funds and if the other counties wanted to live up to it, “they made the statement that they will.”

Supervisor Bill Osl, District One, suggested that “a letter be sent from Cumberland to the other jurisdictions: 'We made our payment. Here's what we're paying and we would encourage everyone to do likewise…' I mean, you could make it as tough as you want or as, or as lovely as you want.”

The proposal of a letter was the result of supervisors' frustrations that, of the twelve counties served by the center, Cumberland County was the largest monetary supporter of Madeline's House, according to a report provided by Madeline's House.

Meinhard was irritated that neighboring counties were announcing that were going to wait and see what other counties decided, when Cumberland already regularly gives more than those counties do.

The majority of the funds, $2,500, were the amount of a payment already scheduled to be made to Madeline's House, the second half of the $5,000 budgeted by the County for this fiscal year. This payment was expedited in the motion to be released immediately. The additional $500 was appropriated from funds which the board expected to be available after pro-rating their payment to Piedmont Area Transit.

The motion was met with disapproval by at least one meeting attendee, who expressed his frustration at the board's spending during part two of public comments.

These comments were a continuation of financial concerns that ran throughout the meeting, beginning with many of the nine citizens speaking during part one of public comment. Many suggested the need for financial change in the county and a reduction in spending.

Referring to the public comments that had occurred prior to her appeal, Emily Marshall, executive director of Madeline's House, stated that she was relieved that there was a “gracious exemption to services that your county needs.”

She went on to refer to the women that Madeline's House serves, “many of the times they come to us in life-threatening situations. They need to be away from their immediate surroundings in order to be safe.”

Operated by Southside Center for Violence Prevention, Inc., Madeline's House is a non-profit organization, which provides services to those experiencing domestic abuse, including a safe house for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The current shelter location was provided rent-free by Nottoway County for 13 years. But, according to a letter to the board from the center, the location will now likely become part of a Department of State training facility. The center expects to receive notice to move in the near future.

The center's board of directors has decided that the best solution would be to “purchase our own location, so that we don't have to face this sort of situation again in the future,” said Marshall.

The center is in the process of approaching all twelve counties that it regularly serves to help cover the expense of the down payment on the new property. A one-time donation of $3,000 is needed from each locality to cover down payment and closing costs. The total cost of the property is expected to be $160,000.

During her presentation to the board Marshall provided details on the needs of the center. She also provided a report covering a three-year period, showing the number of residents served from the twelve surrounding counties, at what cost to the center and the amount donated by each county over the same three years.

Marshall stated that she would be happy to answer any questions or concerns about Madeline's House itself or the relocation process. The board took her up on her offer, asking many specific questions about the organization.

Madeline's House Details

When questioned by Supervisor Lloyd Banks, District Two, Marshall stated that no one is ever turned away, except for those who first need assistance with possible substance abuse or mental health issues. These women are referred first to other service and once they are stable, they are able to come to the shelter, according to Marshall.

She added that if the center is contacted and no longer has beds available at their primary shelter, they will work with women to help them find lodging at other safe sites.

Marshall stated that the center was caught off guard by the need to move, and while due to the graciousness of Nottoway they have been operating in a rent free facility, “we've not had the kind of revenue that fosters savings accounts for a rainy day.”

Nottoway County was listed as giving $54,000 in support over the three years of the report, as the rent value of the facility that had been provided free of charge to Madeline's House.

When asked about the current facility, Marshall stated that the current location has space for 33 beds, “that is a luxury we are giving up by being evicted from this facility.” The new facility is estimated to hold 12 beds, she added.

Marshall went on to state that the program is going to have to change with this reduction in space. The center plans to have auxiliary sites out in the community for “less risky cases.” She added, “our community client program is going to have to grow, as opposed to being an in-house program…The safe house environment capacity is going to shrink in this building but we are going to have alternatives.”

Marshall pointed out that the center does not just provide a safe place, it strives to help the women who stay there “become survivors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault.” The program prepares women for success when they leave, according to Marshall, by providing such services as help to procure a job, find housing, continue their education, learn new life skills or access needed medical attention.

When questioned further by the board, Marshall reported that women and their children are able to stay up to 30 days. After that, if they are “making progress” or waiting for something to happen-such as waiting for a deed to a property or an identification card-they are able to file for an extension a week at a time, as needed.

No fees are charged, according to Marshall.

When asked by Banks, Marshall reported that the highest salary paid by the center was $40,000.

“Fare Share”

Banks expressed concern that of the $81,739 that has been received by the center from the localities during the three years of the report, Cumberland was the highest contributor, listed as donating $17,000 during that period, but fewer Cumberland residents were served than many of the other counties. Banks stated “I'm a little bit concerned that the organization is not… scaling their requests based on the amount of assistance you provide.”

Marshall responded that every year she sends budget requests to all twelve counties, asking them for the same amount of money. She stated that while there is no variation in the request, “the variation is in the response.”

She continued that the center does not have control over how many people use their services from each locality.

Osl pointed out that Cumberland has “had a historical relationship” with Madeline's House, offering that perhaps that is a reason that the giving numbers are disproportionate.

But, he continued that when he sees that some counties haven't been giving anything, “Why do you come out and ask for an equal share amongst all twelve counties. Go back to those who aren't, haven't been, pulling their fair share. Because it looks to me like Cumberland has been pulling our fair share.”

Marshall acknowledged that the County has been and the center greatly appreciated it.

Referring to the board's concern about the in-equitability of the levels of support among the counties, Marshall stated that she is also concerned by that but “each county makes its own decision and I know not anything else to say on that.”

Marshall said the center's board has considered charging fees for services in the past to help with funding, but the grants that are being utilized by the center will not allow that.

The report provided by Marshall shows that over the three-year period from July 1, 2009 to May 17, 2012, Madeline's House has served a total of 848 clients, for a total of 5,300 bed nights.

The cost to Madeline's House according to the report was $598,901. If all three counties gave the $7,000 requested each year during that period, $252,000, a less than half of those expenses, would be provided for by localities.

During the three years of the report, Madeline's House has received less than half of the funds requested of localities, $81,739. Cumberland budgeted the $7,000 requested the first of those three years and then $5,000 each of the remaining two years.

Marshall stated that “if it weren't for state grants, individuals, churches and civic organizations, we wouldn't make it.”

The only county remaining to be approached is Brunswick County, which Marshall said she would approach for a donation in January.

Discussing How To Help

Osl pointed out that the County has only paid the first half of their planned donation to Madeline's House. The remainder of the payment was scheduled to be made after the first of the year, according to County Administrator and Attorney Vivian Giles.

He suggested that accelerating the payment would allow the board to donate without changing the budget, but wondered if it would be of assistance to Madeline's House.

Marshall stated that having the payment toward the first of the year would be helpful as they approach the lending institution.

The center is currently waiting for approval of a rezoning request, which should be determined December 17, according to Marshall. She was hopeful that the zoning request would be approved.

When questioned further by Supervisor Parker Wheeler, District Five, she stated that she had gone through the planning commission, who are recommending approval of the request. She stated that she had also met with three-fifths of the deciding body, all of which were supportive. Once rezoning is approved, the center will approach the lending institution.

Ingle suggested that there was no need to wait for the rezoning decision, since the money was already planned to go to the center anyway, “It's their money, whether it's used for the down payment right now or if it's used for finances for the rest of the six months.”

Ingle moved that the remaining payment be released early, adding, “maybe it will help them jar any other counties or localities that are waiting to see if any money is coming.”

Banks asked if the board was going to give an additional $500 to make the total payment equal $3,000.

Ingle amended his motion to include an increase of $500.

After suggesting the inclusion of a letter to the other localities, Osl went on to suggest that because Piedmont Area Transit did not begin its expanded routes until several months after the start of the fiscal year, that their payment be pro-rated to reflect the shortened route that ran for part of the year.

Osl suggested that the $500 needed for Madeline's House come from those funds, “Then we haven't done anything from a budget standpoint…and haven't spent any additional money.”

The motion had been amended so many times before the vote that Giles read the amended motion, which Ingle approved: “The motion is to pay immediately the $2,500 previously budgeted for Madeline's House, plus appropriate an additional $500, re-appropriating from Piedmont Area Transit funds that were previously appropriated, to make a total to $3,000 payable immediately to Madeline's House, together with a letter from the chairman of the board on behalf of the board to the other participating jurisdictions, the other eleven participating jurisdictions, indicating that this, the total $3,000 has been paid, paid to Madeline's House for the purpose of down payment of an alternate location.”

The motion passed with four votes in favor. Banks abstained.

Public Comment Continues

After the board's decision, during the second opportunity for public comment, Kurt Haselman spoke, stating that he was “baffled” that the board chose to donate to Madeline's House right after so many citizens had commented on the need to reduce spending. Haselman continued, “for you guys to approve this Madeline House that doesn't have zoning. It's not even guaranteed. And we're worried about, 'Oh, this county gave this, this county gave this.'

“We don't care. The County doesn't have the money… It's a good project, it's a good thing. We don't have the money.”

After questioning several other board spending decisions, calling for an increased friendliness to developers and across the board budget cuts, the speaker concluded and his comments were met with applause.

After returning from closed session, Ingle responded during board member comments that, “I know a lot of people here were questioning the, the full funding that they requested for as far as the $3,000. I had 65 phone calls to my house asking us to fully fund Madeline's House. So, I felt like I had a very good representation of people in my voting precinct.”