Geauga Record

Welfare Cases Are Double A Year Ago

Geauga county welfare cases today are almost double the number of a year ago and the welfare department is running out of money, Roy Bonifield, county welfare director, revealed today.

Geauga at the end of August had 72 general welfare cases as compared with 37 a year ago and the figure is increasing.

General welfare expenses this year have been $76,918.36 at the end of August as compared with $50,729.54 a year ago.

Pro-rating the budget by months indicates the county is overspent by about $12,986.36 on its budget up to the first of August.

The welfare load dropped off slightly during the summer months but today appears to be rising again. Highest case load of recent years was last June when the county had 89 families.

"A large portion of this year's expense has been medical," Mr. Bonifield said today, "This expense is unpredictable and we can hope it will drop the last part of the year."

"If general employment picks up, naturally our rolls will drop - possibly enough for us to get by." he said, "If unemployment continues we will have to ask the county commissioners for an extra appropriation to get through the present year."

Increased welfare expenses were indicated by the submission of an estimated budget of $95,000.00 for next year. This year's budget was $82,000.