BARRHEAD - The Barrhead and District Family Community Support Services (FCSS) is looking to hold the line on municipal contributions from the town and county.
On Oct. 22, FCSS executive director Karen Pronishen presented the not-for-profit society's 2025 operational budget, which asked for contributions of $77,149 from each of the Barrhead municipalities.
She noted that despite not asking the municipalities for an increase, the budget includes a two per cent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and an additional $500 mental health and well-being fund for every employee.
Later in the meeting, councillors approved the budget as presented.
FCSS is expected to present the budget to the County of Barrhead in early November.
In addition to the municipal funding, FCSS receives a provincial base operating grant of $329,614.
Pronishen noted provincial FCSS funding has remained stagnant in recent years, and they have been told it will likely be some time before they see an increase.
"Which is very frustrating," she said. "Because we are seeing people coming in with more complex needs and gaps in other government programming, which means more people are turning to FCSS."
Earlier in her presentation, Pronishen stated that from January to the end of September, FCSS' client support worker has seen 147 new clients they've never seen before; this is on top of the 143 repeat clients.
Woodlands County will also give the Barrhead FCSS $58,000 for programs in the Fort Assiniboine area.
The province will also give the FCSS $90,000 for its Family Resource Network contract.
FRNs replaced the former Parent Link, which provided programming to parents of young children, expanding its scope to include children from infants to 17 years old.
Pronishen noted that all of the FRN funding would go to salaries.
The FCSS expects to generate nearly $34,270 in revenue through general program fees, including rental income, monies from the 55-plus dinners and senior coffee, youth programming and home support fees.
They will also receive an estimated $31,200 in community program grant funding, not including the $35,800 transportation grant and another $19,600 in federal and provincial grants.
On the expense side, staffing costs take up the lion's share of the FCSS proposed $807,082 at $605,851.
Pronishen cautioned councillors that a few categories in the budget look like they have substantial increases, especially on the expense side. But that is not necessarily the case.
She said that because of the Barrhead FCSS's unique set-up — a not-for-profit society that offers programming outside the mandate of a typical FCSS — they have three funding streams: the FCSS side for the provincial/municipal government-funded traditional preventative programming, the Family Resource Network (FRN) and community programming.
However, Pronishen said they only have one payroll system, funded through traditional FCSS funding, which they then reimburse through monies from the community or FRN stream.
The community stream funds such programs as the food bank, Community Angels For Recreational Enrichment (CARE), Santa's Toy Box, and the community volunteer tax program.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
