Plans to establish a youth commission to examine the needs of children and teenagers are threatened.

There appears to be a stalemate on the part of the Mower County Board of Commissioners to embrace the idea and move it forward.

That reluctance surfaced Tuesday, when Tom Neilon and Margene Gunderson pressed the commissioners for a decision on the idea.

Neilon is director of Mower County Correctional Services and Gunderson is director of community health services.

The idea of a youth commission was an outgrowth of the long-range strategic planning task force of citizens. Funding for the proposal was to come from the county's reserves.

A similar organization to oversee senior citizens programs and services in Mower County was approved by the commissioners and is now in the process of being formed.

"The question is, do you want the youth commission?" Neilon asked the county board at Tuesday's meeting.

Gunderson warned funding sources may "dry up."

"They (the Wilder Foundation) are trying to find a community to fund. If you're not interested, they'll go someplace else," she said.

At stake is a $7,500 grant to fund leadership training to help the youth commission get started. Mower County would be asked to provide a similar amount.

Originally, $40,000 was designated as funding for the new youth commission idea, but worries over the state budget deficit's impact on Mower County have caused the commissioners to back off of their support.

Neilon and Gunderson did win the commissioners' pledge they would have their finance committee review the matter and make a recommendation at the March 25 county board meeting.

Dick Lang, 4th District county commissioner, wanted to give the finance committee the "power to act" in order to expedite the request for Neilon and Gunderson.

However, he was told that could not happen.

According to county coordinator Craig Oscarson, the State Auditor's Office has ruled a two-member committee of the five-member county board cannot act on behalf of the entire board other than in an advisory capacity.

The commissioners told Neilon and Gunderson they would have a recommendation in two weeks.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com