MRPC News
Aug. 17, 2005
For immediate release
For more information, contact:
Bonnie J. Prigge, (573) 265-2993
MPRC PASSES RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF EXEMPTING SHELTER WORKSHOP EMPLOYEES
FROM MEDICAID CUTS
ST. JAMES-Some 25 percent of the disabled employees in Missouri's 96 Sheltered
Workshops will have to make a choice come September: Keep their jobs or keep
their Medicaid benefits, says Rick Kyle, general manager of the Rolla Sheltered
Workshop. The majority of workshop employees receive SSDI benefits, and one-fourth
of them will be affected by cutbacks to unearned income that will put them in
the spend-down category.
Consequently, any money they would make at the workshop would have to be returned
to the state to cover Medicaid costs. Kyle's statistics are the result of a
statewide survey to determine the impact of the Medicaid waiver bill that becomes
effective in September. Kyle, along with Dennis Chapman, a Rolla Shelter Workshop
board member, brought this information to the Meramec Regional Planning Commission
board, during its regular meeting Aug. 11, and asked for the board's help. The
Rolla group would like to see legislation exempting Shelter Workshop employees
from the Medicaid waiver.
The MRPC board unanimously passed a resolution, supporting the exemption of
Sheltered Workshop employees from the cuts. There are five Sheltered Workshop
in the Meramec Region-one each in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Phelps and Washington
counties-as well as one in Pulaski County, which has petitioned for membership
in MRPC.
Hermann City Administrator Steve Mueller serves on the board of River Bluff
Industries, the Sheltered Workshop in Gasconade County and serves as a guardian
for a handicapped veteran.
"The wages are meager," Mueller said. "This is a social outlet.
You take this away, and you take their life."
While the Medicaid cuts will impact Shelter employees, Kyle is also concerned
that the potential loss of workers could cause the workshop to turn away work
or leave it unable to meet deadlines. Kyle anticipates a loss of about $52,000
in state aid, and another $120,000 in contract income due to lost workers, those
that chose to maintain their Medicaid benefits and leave the workshop.
"If we can't perform the work in a timely manner, we lose the contracts,"
Chapman said.
MRPC will share its resolution with the region's legislative delegation, the
Governor and the other Shelter Workshops in its region.
In other business at its Aug. 11 meeting, the MRPC:
o Approved contracts with the Washington County Public Water Supply District
#3, City of Potosi, City of Cuba, Phelps County Bank, City of Doolittle, City
of Hermann and Missouri Office of Administration for the upcoming fiscal year,
and approved contract amendments with Phelps County and the Gasconade Valley
Enterprise Zone for the past fiscal year.
o At the recommendation of the External Relations Committee, adopted a new member
hour allocation policy for FY 2005-2006 where each local government will receive
10 hours of free service in exchange for their dues.
o Announced that the MRPC's Annual Dinner was planned for Nov. 10 at the Havener
Center in Rolla with Pete Rahn, director of the Missouri Department of Transportation,
as guest speaker.
o Heard a report from the Planning Committee on a presentation by Jim Wallace,
United State Department of Agriculture, regarding the formation of a Resource
Conservation and Development Program to include Washington County. The committee
recommended monitoring the development of the RC & D and to insure that
the RC & D doesn't duplicate the efforts of regional planning commissions.
o Heard a report from MRPC Executive Director Richard Cavender that the Office
of Administration has indicated that the governor should act on Pulaski County's
request to join MRPC within the next 30 days. At this time, the cities of Waynesville,
St. Robert and Dixon have indicated interest in joining MRPC while Crocker and
Richland have declined.
o Learned that the following grants, prepared by MRPC staff, had been approved:
CDBG Neighborhood Development project in Cuba ($344,000), CDBG Neighborhood
Development project in Potosi ($417,000), CDBG Community Facilities Grant to
expand Doolittle sewer ($500,000) and Department of Economic Development Neighborhood
Assistance Program tax credits for the Harney Mansion Foundation ($250,000 in
tax credits) and Missouri Department of Transportation Enhancement grant for
a hiking/biking sidewalk in Meta, pending final approval in September ($165,000).
A professional staff of 28, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance
and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance,
transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business
loans and other services to member communities upon request.
The MRPC board will meet Sept. 8 at its office at 4 Industrial Drive in St.
James. All meetings are open to the public.