by VERONICA GORDON
Buda City Council members are slicing up the 2012-2013 budget pie for local non-profit organizations, giving the biggest piece to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center.
The council was recently approached by the Women’s Center, the Onion Creek Senior Citizens Center, CASA of Central Texas and Early Childhood Intervention for funding.
The Hays/Caldwell Women’s Center is a battered women’s shelter that provides recovery and counseling to women. The Onion Creek Senior Center serves the seniors of the Buda area. CASA are advocates for abused and neglected children who are removed from their homes. Early Childhood Intervention assists in the recovery of family violence, sexual assault or child abuse.
Seeing the greatest need in the area of domestic violence, the city council decided to give the majority of the funding to the Women’s Center.
Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Tenorio said that given the increase of domestic violence in Buda proper, she would be inclined to move $1,000 from the Seniors Citizens center to the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center.
Onion Creek Senior Citizens Center originally requested $5,000, while the Women’s Center was seeking $3,500.
Ultimately council members decided to give the Women’s Center $6,500. The Senior Center will receive $3,000; CASA will get $5,000 and Early Childhood will get $2,500.
Mayor Sarah Mangham agreed, but said that the Senior Center provides important programs to the community.
“They provide a lot of activities and a lot of recreation,” Mangham said.
Tenorio said the allocations do not diminish the importance of the other programs, but that Early Childhood Intervention is a critical program.
“I would say that if there’s anything we can do to help the Senior Citizens Center throughout the year, we should do it,” added Council Member Cathy Chilcote. “I think this is a very positive approach to funding these very important programs.”
