SRS office to close Sept. 19 years ago
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
According to Ralph Noriega, manager of the Marion SRS office, the new target date for closure is Sept. 19. He said 22 offices in Kansas are closing in May and June.
Noriega made the announcement at the interagency meeting Friday in Marion. He reaffirmed that Marion County will be joined with Butler and Greenwood counties in the El Dorado SRS office.
Noriega, Pam Loewen, and Joan Davis of the Marion SRS office are members of the area redesign team. They are seeking out access sites in all towns in the county, where people can get information and pick up application forms. A toll-free number to the El Dorado office also will be established.
Noriega said the biggest issue is the fact that federal law requires face-to-face interviews and does not allow them over the telephone or on computers equipped with video-cams. The distance to El Dorado may prohibit potential SRS recipients from visiting the office, so other arrangements will have to be made, he said.
The Marion team hopes to work together for at least a year to make sure access points get adequately supplied and the new arrangement is working as planned.
Noriega closed on a positive note: "We're losing the office, but we've held onto positions and programs."
A representative from MIDCAP (Mid-Kansas Community Action Program) announced that rental assistance is available for tenant-based renters. Initial rental deposits also can be obtained through the agency.
Cheri Ochs Wheeler of Prairie View reported on the $3,000 flex fund which is used to help out clients with special financial needs. She said $2,485.99 of the $3,000 has been spent so far this fiscal year, which ends on June 30.
The inter-agency group approved a one-time monthly rental payment of $275 for a mother of a severely handicapped child, to allow the woman to get her vehicle's transmission replaced.
Elizabeth Schmidt of Northview Developmental Services, Newton, reported that approximately 75 percent of budget cuts sustained this year have been restored.
Kelly Krch reported that the KVC (Kaw Valley Center) bike run in Marion was considered to be "very successful." She said a few new foster homes have been approved but more are needed.
Kay Gregory of SOS (Services Offering Safety), who works out of a Chase County office, said the Hutchinson agency that deals with violence and child abuse informed her it wants to serve Marion County.
She noted, however, that the Kansas Coalition Against Violence and Sexual Assault divided Marion County in half when setting up areas of service. She said people can contact the Chase County SOS office, if they so choose.
Neal Weltha, principal at Centre High School, announced that new officers have been elected for Marion County Youth Team. He said many more young people are becoming involved in the organization. Training sessions will be held this summer.
The date of the June meeting has been changed from the second Friday of the month to June 11 at McGillicuddy's Restaurant in Marion. The Early Childhood task force will be presenters.
