Latest news with #DeFelice
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding uncertainty has MCHD in 'difficult financial straits'
Jun. 2—MORGANTOWN — In the best of times, annual budgets are uncertain. They're well-educated guesses — estimates, if you prefer the term. You look at what you expect to get, weigh that against what you expect to spend — and hope nothing happens along the way that negatively skews either number beyond reconciliation. But what if you have no real way of knowing what to expect ? That's where leadership with the Monongalia County Health Department often is finding itself. MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice has estimated that up to 40 % of the health department's budget originates from federal sources. As with most sectors dependent on federal dollars, there's considerable uncertainty in public health. The MCHD launched into an unprecedented budgeting process knowing some of those dollars are secure, some have already been eliminated and some are complete unknowns. "The IAP Grant is the immunization grant. It's just been a given every year that you're getting that. We've had no indication. They stopped the IAP grant and terminated it, " county Health Officer Dr. Brian Huggins said. "We don't know if the Vaccines for Children (Program) is going to exist next year. Those are significant funding sources that help pay for some of our nursing staff. With this budget, we didn't include them. If we get them, great. But we just don't know." And that, DeFelice explained, is how MCHD is approaching this budgeting process. If leadership is confident the funds are secure, they're included. If there's any uncertainty, the dollars aren't being budgeted. DeFelice described the process as "very thorough " and "very conservative." Chief Financial Officer Devan Smith explained that the health department's program managers and executive team have gone meticulously through each line item in an effort to determine where reductions can be made. Smith said budgeting in public health is already both art and science in that it often requires as much intuition as accounting. "When you add in deep uncertainty about whether core functions of the organization will continue to be funded, it not only makes providing estimates difficult, but also means that you have to question what services will be kept or lost under different scenarios, " he said. "What made this budget year so hard for us was not the mechanical process of performing calculations or reviewing expenses. It was weighing the people element — -potential reductions in the services we are able to provide to families in our community or impacts to employees we have worked with for years that may no longer have a job." Among the measures under consideration are fee increases. An initial example is a 10 % bump in fees for the health department's dental program. A review of if, where and when MCHD can continue to offer free and reduced-cost services is under consideration. The health department also plans to keep all vacant positions unfilled. Further, some programming considered "enhanced " offerings — meaning beyond the core functions of environmental health, communicable disease, immunization, threat preparedness and community health promotion — are being scaled back as only core, or basic, functions are eligible for state and county support. Huggins offered an example. "The biggest thing that is changing is that our family planning clinic is going to go from five days a week down to a single day a week. The biggest reason for that is loss of funding streams that were supporting our basic services. Family planning is an enhanced service by state code. Family planning, unfortunately, loses money. It just does, " he said, explaining the program lost somewhere around $150, 000 in the 2025 fiscal year. "There is potential with family planning that we may have to discontinue services completely if the funding stream stops. According to the DHHS budget that's been proposed by the administration, family planning is on the list of services that is to be eliminated — not moved to a different service, eliminated from funding. If that occurs, we'll look at everything we can because we realize, for a lot of people, this is a critical service."
Dominion Post
02-06-2025
- Health
- Dominion Post
Funding uncertainty has MCHD in 'dangerous financial straits'
MORGANTOWN — In the best of times, annual budgets are uncertain. They're well-educated guesses – estimates, if you prefer the term. You look at what you expect to get, weigh that against what you expect to spend – and hope nothing happens along the way that negatively skews either number beyond reconciliation. But what if you have no real way of knowing what to expect? That's where leadership with the Monongalia County Health Department often is finding itself. MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice has estimated that up to 40% of the health department's budget originates from federal sources. As with most sectors dependent on federal dollars, there's considerable uncertainty in public health. The MCHD launched into an unprecedented budgeting process knowing some of those dollars are secure, some have already been eliminated and some are complete unknowns. 'The IAP Grant is the immunization grant. It's just been a given every year that you're getting that. We've had no indication. They stopped the IAP grant and terminated it,' county Health Officer Dr. Brian Huggins said. 'We don't know if the Vaccines for Children (Program) is going to exist next year. Those are significant funding sources that help pay for some of our nursing staff. With this budget, we didn't include them. If we get them, great. But we just don't know.' And that, DeFelice explained, is how MCHD is approaching this budgeting process. If leadership is confident the funds are secure, they're included. If there's any uncertainty, the dollars aren't being budgeted. DeFelice described the process as 'very thorough' and 'very conservative.' Chief Financial Officer Devan Smith explained that the health department's program managers and executive team have gone meticulously through each line item in an effort to determine where reductions can be made. Smith said budgeting in public health is already both art and science in that it often requires as much intuition as accounting. 'When you add in deep uncertainty about whether core functions of the organization will continue to be funded, it not only makes providing estimates difficult, but also means that you have to question what services will be kept or lost under different scenarios,' he said. 'What made this budget year so hard for us was not the mechanical process of performing calculations or reviewing expenses. It was weighing the people element –- potential reductions in the services we are able to provide to families in our community or impacts to employees we have worked with for years that may no longer have a job.' Among the measures under consideration are fee increases. An initial example is a 10% bump in fees for the health department's dental program. A review of if, where and when MCHD can continue to offer free and reduced-cost services is under consideration. The health department also plans to keep all vacant positions unfilled. Further, some programming considered 'enhanced' offerings – meaning beyond the core functions of environmental health, communicable disease, immunization, threat preparedness and community health promotion – are being scaled back as only core, or basic, functions are eligible for state and county support. Huggins offered an example. 'The biggest thing that is changing is that our family planning clinic is going to go from five days a week down to a single day a week. The biggest reason for that is loss of funding streams that were supporting our basic services. Family planning is an enhanced service by state code. Family planning, unfortunately, loses money. It just does,' he said, explaining the program lost somewhere around $150,000 in the 2025 fiscal year. 'There is potential with family planning that we may have to discontinue services completely if the funding stream stops. According to the DHHS budget that's been proposed by the administration, family planning is on the list of services that is to be eliminated – not moved to a different service, eliminated from funding. If that occurs, we'll look at everything we can because we realize, for a lot of people, this is a critical service.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election 2025: Wells Select Board a highlight among York County's contested races
The town of Wells has the distinction of being the only York County Coast Star community with a contested Select Board race on its ballot during the upcoming June 10 election. Chair John MacLeod III and fellow Select Board member Scott DeFelice are both running for re-election. They are being challenged by Avery Seuter and Mark Bagdasarian. MacLeod, currently the chair of the Select Board, is seeking his third consecutive term. He said he is running for three more years because he wants to continue to work on the many projects the town is currently pursuing. Responsible community planning, infrastructure, emergency medical services, sea-level rise, and housing, particularly accessible dwelling units, were among the issues McLeod named as being on the town's plate. 'We've been working on a lot of large initiatives,' he said. MacLeod also noted the general climate of politics today, adding there is a lot of contention and breakdowns in communication across the country. He said Wells is different. 'Wells is still a nice community,' he said. 'The underlying principle should always be that we listen to people. I think we have a board that listens to people.' Fellow incumbent Scott DeFelice is running for a second consecutive term to continue being a part of a 'good group on the board, with an excellent town manager.' 'We're working on some serious issues,' DeFelice said. 'I'd like to be a part of the solutions. If calm, rational people don't step up, things can really go sideways really quickly.' DeFelice said he is concerned about some of the mandates passed down to towns from the state level – ones that 'creep into areas where they've not gone before.' For example, DeFelice referred to zoning, particularly LD 2003, the bill that the Maine Legislature passed for the regulation of accessible dwelling units to meet the state's housing goals. 'That's admirable, but the state's one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work for us,' he said, referring to smaller communities like Wells. DeFelice said he is also concerned about the state's broadening view of code enforcement as it relates to such matters as plumbing fixtures, drywall repair, and other specifics. He said the matter is an issue of individual rights and added that local code officers are already busy with their jobs. 'They've got bigger things to deal with,' he said. DeFelice also referred to the potential unification of the Wells Fire Department and Wells Emergency Medical Services, a proposal that intends to help WEMS overcome its challenges with expenses and staffing and allow it to keep meeting local demands for services. 'We're at the point where something has to be done,' DeFelice said. 'This needs to be studied carefully.' DeFelice also said he wants to keep working on the project to build a new community center at Founders Park on Sanford Road. He called the project, which is in its final stages with the local Planning Board, an important part of efforts to create a sense of a town center. 'We're going at leaps and bounds,' said DeFelice, who co-chairs the Founders Park Community Center Committee. 'I would love to be there for the completion of this project.' Avery Seuter, a recent York County Community College graduate, said he is running for a Select Board seat because a recent collaboration between him and his friends and the local government gave him a taste of accomplishment and community service. Seuter said the collaboration involved improving pedestrian access between the college and Route 1. 'That got me excited,' he said. 'I like that you can identify a problem in town and can work with people to fix things.' Seuter said he attended more Select Board meetings since working with the town on the pedestrian access issue. 'The procedural elements of the Select Board are really interesting to me,' he said. Seuter said he would like to work on solving transportation issues in the community. He said he has followed the town's Route 1 Corridor Study efforts closely and feels sidewalks need to be upgraded and added throughout the community. In particular, he said it 'would be huge' if the town could install sidewalks that connect the local train station to the center of the community, 'especially since ridership is up.' Seuter also said he would like to work on cost-of-living issues, especially relating to housing. 'It's hard to find affordable shelter in Wells,' he said. 'As a young person, that's top of my mind.' The fourth candidate, Mark Bagdasarian, did not reply by press time to questions that were emailed to him at his request. In other races, voters will settle a three-way race for two terms that are available on the Wells Sanitary District's Board of Trustees. Incumbent Justin Batchelder is running to keep his seat, and newcomers Andre Brousseau and Paul Baratta are each hoping for their own opportunity to serve. Mark Bagdasarian and Cory Chase are seeking to represent the town on the Kennebunk Kennebunkport Wells Water District Board of Trustees. More: Wells police ICE training sparks pushback Select Board Chair Miriam Whitehouse and Board member Leslie Trentalange, both on the town's ballot for a second consecutive term, are running unopposed. Incumbent Robert Emmons is facing a challenge from newcomer Kevin Flynn for a five-year term on the Kennebunk Light and Power District's Board of Trustees. Incumbent Wayne Brockway is the only one seeking one of the two three-year seats available on the Kennebunk Sewer District's Board of Trustees. Brockway is currently the Board's treasurer. More: Kennebunk Detective Steve Borst helps solve national ATM theft case Longtime Select Board member Sheila Mathews-Bull has decided not to pursue another term on the board. As a result, Select Board incumbent Jon Dykstra and first-timer Joseph Moan are assured the two three-year seats that are up for grabs. Incumbent Select Board Vice Chair Carole Allen is uncontested in her hope for reelection. Newcomer Molly Muscari is uncontested in her bid for a term on the town's Budget Review Committee. Incumbent Frederick Lynk is not seeking another term. There are two alternate posts available on the Budget Review Committee, but no one is seeking to fill them on the ballot. Lastly, incumbent Chair William Sawyer is uncontested in his bid for a new three-year term as a trustee of the Ogunquit Sewer District. Select Board Chair Velma Jones Hayes and newcomer Charles Bassett are running unopposed for the two seats on the board. Incumbent Select Board member Jason Nedeau is not seeking reelection. Two three-year terms are available on the Budget Board, but only incumbent Theo Rohrs is in the running. More: RSU 21 advances $62.7M budget to voters As for local School Board races, the situation is the same: incumbents and newcomers alike can enjoy a stress-free campaign season. In Kennebunk, Arianna Efstathiou and Brian McGrath, both new arrivals on the political scene, are unchallenged in their first attempts to represent their hometown on the RSU 21 School Board. Kennebunk incumbents Claudia Sayre and Gayle Asmussen Spofford, whose seats are on the ballot, are not seeking reelection. In Kennebunkport, incumbent Rachel Kennedy-Smith is seeking reelection to a three-year term on the RSU 21 School Board. She is not facing an opponent. Neither is Robert Domine, who is running to serve one year of an unfinished term on the RSU 21 School Board – the one vacated by Susan Holloran and later filled by Diane Franz by appointment. Franz is not making a bid to keep the seat. Domine is a former member of the School Board. In Arundel, the third and final RSU 21 community, recently appointed School Board member Mandy Cummings is uncontested in her hopes of serving one year of an unfinished term. Cummings is currently serving in the seat vacated by Kirstin Shapiro last winter. Also on the Arundel ballot, incumbent Vice Chair Britney Gerth is seeking three more years on the School Board and is not facing a challenge. Over in the Wells-Ogunquit Community School District, newcomer Kevin Chabot and incumbent Boriana Dolliver are the sole candidates in their quests to represent Wells and Ogunquit, respectively, on the WOCSD School Board. In Wells, incumbent Chair Helena Kowalewski is not seeking reelection. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Election 2025: Wells Select Board among York County's contested races
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HUD officials visit Snyder County
MIDDLEBURG — Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officials met Thursday with Snyder County commissioners to discuss housing and other issues. HUD Assistant Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice has visited nearly all 67 counties in recent years and was stopping at the commissioners' office in Middleburg to continue the discussion. 'There are a lot more issues that make (providing housing) more expensive' in the wake of COVID-19, DeFelice said, including rising rental costs, building supplies and labor. The commissioners said fewer low- to moderate-income communities are eligible for funding and projects that do receive money are faced with high costs and labor issues. 'We need less regulations, which we know is a hindrance,' county board Chairman Joe Kantz said. Another issue is the home voucher program, which requires counties to pay the housing subsidy for voucher recipients even if they relocate to another state. 'That means there's less money to go around for Snyder County residents,' Commissioner Adam Ewig said. Later, the commissioners talked about the housing situation in the county and the concern among many Valley leaders about the lack of affordable, quality housing. 'I'm not hearing it's a problem. What is the reason they can't find a home?' Kantz said. 'I've not gotten any calls.' Ewig and Commissioner Chuck Steininger said they've heard there is a housing need from both individuals and local service agencies. 'They're looking for affordable housing and there isn't the volume,' Steininger said.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health department sees first direct impact of federal funding upheaval
Mar. 28—MORGANTOWN — Monongalia County Health Department Chief Financial Officer Devan Smith was prepared to come into Thursday morning's board of health meeting and report MCHD was so-far unscathed by the upheaval in federal funding initiated by the Trump administration. Then, on Tuesday, federal health officials announced billions in COVID-related funds were being stopped. The following day, the health department was notified by the National Association of County & City Health Officials that a contract through which MCHD was working with the health department in Fairfax County, Va to better engage healthcare facilities regarding infection prevention and control had been canceled. As MCHD was working as a subcontractor, it must now go back to NACCHO to get paid for the work performed since Jan. 1. The $90, 000 contract was set to expire at the end of June. Smith said he's identified additional grants that he believes could be in jeopardy. In those examples, MCHD is a subrecipient of funds passing through the state. Those grants would total about $83, 000 to the health department. "We've been talking to folks at the state to see if they're hearing any notifications about rescission of funding at their level, because it would have the same impact, essentially, " he said. "As far as I'm aware, they have not received any formal rescission of funding that we receive as a subrecipient." MCHD Executive Director Anthony DeFelice said the health department is also closely following news that a funding freeze tied to Title X (family planning services) has been put in place. He said the health department has yet to hear anything on that front. "These are the things that we're going to have to be monitoring, " DeFelice said. "We're going to get some of these notices. We're proactively checking the rest of our contracts." DeFelice previously estimated that 40 % or more of the health department's budget consists of federal grant funding coming from a variety of sources to fund the department's numerous offerings. "It's really not clear how this is going to play out, because Congress hasn't laid out clear policy priorities within their continuing resolution ... Normally when there's an appropriations act or there's a continuing resolution, there's instructions from Congress about how that funding is to be spent, and this continuing resolution doesn't have that, " Smith explained. "So, that allows more discretion than is normal for this administration to choose and direct funding toward specific policy priorities. I don't think that has really seen itself play out yet." Asked if the impacts to the health department could be substantial enough to force program cuts or staff reductions, Smith said he didn't have any indication that the immediate impact would be that substantial. Even so, he said the health department is "going to be looking hard at what we can afford, " as it prepares to present its 2025-'26 operating budget in the coming weeks. "I firmly believe that we are going to continue to serve public health in a really meaningful and awesome way. We're going to have some new things that we might even still be able to work on with community health promotion, " Health Officer Dr. Brian Huggins said. "But some of the services that we end up offering may change." Huggins noted the health department will add a revenue source in April, when it begins conducting occupational drug testing for employers.
