Clark County’s Environmental Services Department took a financial hit this year after a state grant that paid for prevention programs was slashed in half, a spokesman with the department said.
This biennium, Clark County received $600,000 through the state’s Coordinated Prevention Grant, which is funded by oil sales to support preventative environmental protection efforts across the state, department spokesman Andrew Loescher said. But with dropping oil prices come less money across the state. Clark County at one time received $1.2 million in funding from the state.
“We have recognized a shortfall in our budget,” Loescher said. “We have had to rethink some of our programs that we’re funding externally.”
The most significant cut affects the environmental education group Columbia Springs, which will lose $90,000 in funding from the county for its Master Composter/Recycler program. The county will oversee the program beginning in April instead, Loescher said.
“It was a great program,” Loescher said. “(Columbia Springs) has been a good partner.”
But, he added, “we had expected double of what we got, so we decided to start making tough decisions.”
The cut represents a quarter of Columbia Springs’ programing budget, said Erik Horngren, who works at the environmental center. His paycheck, however, was funded by the grant, and he said he isn’t sure if he’ll still have a job this summer.
“I think it’s a big blow,” Horngren said.
The Master Composter/Recycler program, which teaches people about recycling and composting, is made up of 75 volunteers who host workshops, manage compost demonstration sites and tend to booths at farmers markets and the Clark County Fair. Currently, overseeing the program is Horngren’s sole responsibility. Volunteers hope the program will continue as it does currently with county employees managing it, he said.
“I think they’re concerned with the changes that are coming. They’re concerned and disappointed,” Horngren said. “They hope that they can continue to be involved and be ambassadors for the community.”
The department also will cut how much it spends to support Clark County Public Health, and it will no longer accept paints, pesticides, petroleum or household cleaning supplies at Recycling Day events, Loescher said. People still can recycle those items at transfer stations.
There is no risk of the department laying off employees as a result of the budget reductions, Loescher said.
