The Sidney herald., 1961-01-04

lands. Thus, at each succeeding
legislative session, the department
shall outline money needs for land
acquisition over and above the
budget authorized for operating
costs.
The function of the custodial
institution is to provide good -
not mediocre - care, custody and
in some cases education for those
confined therein. Our primary
concern is not the convenience of
administration; not the acquisition
of nice but unnecessary equip
ment. Our primary concern is that
the individual has good food, good
clothing, good housing, good care
and in those institutions where
applicable, good education.
Most, if not all, of the admins
traitors of the custodial institutions
are dedicated individuals giving.
in many cases, more of their time
and effort than the salaries re-
ceived would warrant. MANY of
these people are trained as pro
feSSional men and women or are
specialists in a particular field.
The duties of administration have
been forced upon them by lack
of funds and they have admins
tered as best they could accord
ing to their own Judgment. Exam
ination of the fiscal policies of
these institutions reveals some err
rors in judgment; in some cases
money which could have been
better spent for care, custody and
education, has been spent for de-
sired but not necessary equipment.
The budget before you provides
for reduction of the 1859 budget
In aggregate allotments to almost
all cuStodial institutions, but you
will note that funds for care. GUS
tody and education have been in
creased in each of these institu-
tons. Salary budgets have been
increased by increasing the a.
mount of money for this purpose
or by reducing the number of ad-
m~inistrative and employee person.
mel. The latter approach is con-
SlStent with the administrations
overall program of releasing from
state employ those persons whose
services are not really needed, and
increasing the salaries of those
retained.
The following is a brief sum-
mary of budgetary action taken
and when l speak of reductions
and increases please keep in mind
such changes are in relation to
appropriations made by the 1853
legislature:
AT the Soldiers Home the ad-
ministrator requested that his staff
be increased by eight, from %
to 80, the budget provides for an
increase of five and the salaries
allowed the twenty-Seven employ
eeS were at the scale requested
The allotment for the purchase OF
equipment has been reduced. The
salary of the administrator wa:
increased. The amount of money
allotted to care and custody wa.
increased.
The Industrial School bulge
provides for a reduction in ad.
miniStrative costs and for a sharp
reduction in the amount to bt
spent for equipment purchases
The budget for repairs of tht
, physical plant has been increased
|, The amount allotted for care anC
custody of the boys has been sub
f stantially increased and funds TO
, teaching have been increased.
: The Home for the Aged will
receive an increase for care ant
a custody and the salary budget
8 raised.
The School for the Deaf an,
Blind has in the past operated ol
a ratio of approximately ON
I teacher to five youngsters. Vine
t asked what a realistic ratio woul'
be the superintendent edvised tina
2 the national average in this typ
of school was one teacher to eigh
pupils. The budget takes recogni
ticn of the latter ratio and pro
4 vides for a reduction in staff per
' sonnet with a salary increase flo
h those retained. New and replace
ment equipment is needed at thi
o institution and funds allotted fc
this purpose were increased. TN
4 allotment for education was re
s duced by the reduction in teach
ing staff. Funds for operation {
the physical plant are the sarr
as before and funds allotted fl
care and custody were increase
d The administration budget receiy
j. ed an increase.
d The tuberculosis Sanitariu4n !
Galen shows a glaring examp
IS of o~verstaffing. AT the time
preparation of this message thel
J. were two hundred patients
the hospital. AT the same tin
-e there were two hundred and fift
" employees on the payroll. 1t
IS estimated that during the ne,
or two years the number of patien
lie will remain approximately I'll
same so the budget provides #
" a reduction in personnel from tv
as hundred and fifty to one hui
ch dred fifty-nine. The salaries
nt those retained are, as in 9th
t. institutions, increased. The allo
ment for purchase of equipme
to is reduced. A reduction in Il
tn number of positions assigned
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