Seibel Center taking alternative route for funding

Published 7:40 am Wednesday, February 9, 2011

The Michael Seibel Visitation Center is on its way to making up for lost funds.

The center received permission from the county board to apply for a $400,000 federal grant.

The funds would be dispersed over three years into the general operating budget, and it would go toward increasing the center’s staff, especially to add bi-lingual staff. The funding would also be used to enhance security and enhance their training efforts at the facility.

Email newsletter signup

Last year, the center lost out on a $350,000 grant. While this grant would address a different set of issues, it would provide much needed funding for the non-profit center, according to Director Heather Steinkamp. The grant dollars would consist of a large part of the center’s spending.

“It will be a large chunk of it,” she said.

After the center lost out on funding last year, the center lost many scholarships for victims and some people had to begin paying for services at the center. Steinkamp said the grant would also provide money for more outreach and advocacy opportunities and allow them to partner with other organizations.

The grant wouldn’t require any county funding, but it would require the services of Finance Director Donna Welsh, but her work would be reimbursed.

Along with providing the center with more funding, County Attorney Kristen Nelsen noted grant dollars would benefit her, Sheriff Terese Amazi, Correctional Services Director Steve King and other county employees.

“Right now there’s not a grant … and we’re all still participating,” Nelsen said. “Our participation level doesn’t change whether you apply for this grant or not. We’re going to continue to participate because the center helps all of us with the job that we do.”

Nelsen said she’s been reviewing recent domestic abuse incident police reports, and she said about half of the ones she’s looked at occurred with children present.

“There is clearly a need here,” Nelsen said.

The grant will also assist with training efforts, and Steinkamp said center leaders hope to send judges to training sessions.

The grant is due in mid-March, and the center should learn whether or not it received the grant sometime this summer.

“I feel very good about it,” Steinkamp said about the center’s chances for receiving the grant.