Posted: 7/3/07
Final Draft - by Cliff Buchan
FL Teen Center finds friends in Wyoming
If the Forest Lake Teen Center is going to survive, it will need friends. It’s now clear that the teen center operation run by the Community Education Department of ISD 831 has some solid friends in Wyoming.
When Wyoming Mayor Sheldon Anderson read in this newspaper of the funding crisis facing the teen center, he became interested. When the mayor learned that some 25 percent of the kids who use the teen center come from the Wyoming area, he knew it was right for the city to help.
Last month saw the Wyoming City Council step up big time with an $8500 contribution. That’s more than half of the $13,000 needed to fund the teen center for the coming year. The city was able to use dollars from its charitable gambling account to fund the program.
When Wyoming Township officials learned of the situation, they too helped, agreeing to fund $1300 with the funds coming from their contract for services budget. The township essentially commited its remaining dollars to help.
The two decisions are positive examples of what government can do to help worthy causes. If kids can be helped, this is a positive way to spend public dollars, the two bodies agreed.
While these decisions are in the books, other potential helpers exist. Columbus City Council has been informed of the need and the Scandia City Council may also be asked to help.
There is some talk of an additional drive within the community to raise funds, but little has been announced on that front to this point.
It was a bit disheartening last week, however, to hear the lukewarm reaction when the Forest Lake City Council briefly discussed the funding on Monday, June 25. Mayor Stev Stegner raised the topic but found little encouragement from the other four council members to continue the discussion.
It’s true that the city council here helps fund the Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau. The YSB also receives funding from the city council and town board in Wyoming.
It would seem appropriate that some form of funding be produced by the Forest Lake City Council to help a program that is based here and certainly supports many local teens.Almost 50 percent of all the teens who attend the center are from Forest Lake.
This is not a case of simply keeping up with what other governmental bodies are doing.
This is a case of doing what is right.
There is also a need for the Community Education Department to step up with some cash to help this program. It is all well and good that nice donations are coming in, but it is also important in this time of need that Community Education leaders step forward and show they value the program in terms of funding.
With a very healthy cash balance there is no reason that the Community Education Department can’t come up with a financial commitment that will send a positive message to the public demonstrating the importance of the program.
If Community Ed was broke it would be one thing, but it is not. Helping this program is another way to tell other leaders in Forest Lake that the program is necessary, valued and providing a service to a group of kids who otherwise may have nowhere to turn.
The message has been heard loud and clear in Wyoming. Will it be heard at Forest Lake City Hall and the ISD 831 District Office Building?
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605