Arlington Heights Teen Center sets closing date: April 30

The Arlington Heights Teen Center will close April 30.

On a 7-2 vote the village board refused to budge Tuesday night and fund the center at any level for the budget year that starts April 30.

Kathy Scortino, co-chairman of the village's youth commission, proposed the center be funded at about $176,000 for the coming year, a big decrease from the current budget of $358,000. She said charging fees and fundraising could offset that amount by at least $60,000 the first year, with plans to increase the amount raised over time.

"I am deeply, profoundly disappointed," said Scortino, who is a counselor by profession. "It is a huge mistake for the community."

Although the motion urged the Youth Commission to continue to work to find nonprofit and government agencies that might fund programs at the center, Scortino said she could not say whether she would be willing to continue the effort.

"The staff is absolutely key to the success of the teen center," she said.

Mike Clingingsmith, director of the center said it was "disheartening when we had all this support in the community."

The time allotted to come up with funding plans since December when it became public that the center was in danger was too short, Scortino and Clingingsmith said.

Trustee Norman Breyer, whose position has always been that the center serves only the center of the village, said he would support something under $50,000 and it should be funded almost completely by user fees.

"There are not enough people served for the amount of money spent," he said, asking how a board that has cut positions in the police and fire departments could justify spending money on this center.

"This is not an essential service," he said.

Only Mayor Arlene Mulder and Trusteen Tom Stengren voted against the resolution that gave no funding to the center.

The center serves an average of 37 youngsters a day, mostly middle-school students, officials said.

About 16 male teens and the same number of adults attended the budget review meeting to show support for the center, but it was understood that only representatives of committees that had worked to keep the center would be allowed to speak.

Under the plan Scortino introduced, a core group of at least 200 youngsters who visit several times a week would be counted on to pay $60 to $100 a year in fees. The center's hours would be reduced, one of the two full-time staff members would be laid off and the other would take a substantial pay cut. There would continue to be three part-time staffers.

Another idea was to send a request in village water bills asking people to donate to the Teen Center, and grants would be sought. If each of 30,000 households donated $5 that would raise $150,000, said Scortino.

The park District contributes $9,000 annually to the center.