Youth facility closure debate brewing

GREAT VALLEY, N.Y. (WIVB) - A bitter debate is brewing over the planned closure of two Southern Tier youth facilities.

The governor claims it would save the state millions of dollars but workers say that's not getting the whole picture.

The sun is quickly going down over two state-run facilities for troubled youth in Cattaraugus County.  One in Great Valley, set up with 25 beds, has been empty for several months.  A second facility in nearby Limestone, which had a handful of kids when News 4 visited last week, is also fully staffed.

When asked how much money closing the two locations would save, Eddie Borges said, "Four million dollars from closing these two facilities."  Eddie Borges of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services says the savings would help at a time when the state is facing an unprecedented financial crisis.

But not everyone thinks closing the locations is a good idea.

Melissa Foster has worked at the Great Valley facility for 13 years, "I think it's the worst idea they have."

While explaining why the Great Valley facility was empty, Foster was interrupted by the state's Eddie Borges.

News 4's Luke Moretti asked, "There are no children here. What happened?"

Foster said, "The agency made a decision not to place children here. And they chose to place them in private..."

Off camera Borges interrupted Foster, "I'm sorry. That's not true. You can't say that. That's not true."

Foster responded, "I thought I was allowed to say what I believe."

Borges replied, "You can say the truth. You're working for the agency. That's totally untrue."

The state claims that counties are not sending kids to their facilities, and instead are opting for local, community based programs.

But the New York State Public Employees Federation Union, which represents 50 to 60 workers at both facilities, believes the state is not being completely up front.

Fred Becker, Public Employees Federation, said, "They've redirected the children to other places because they want to justify their position in closing those facilities."

Borges said, "It's absolutely untrue because if we were hiding children I'd say to you Luke, there must be a great story there because I'd want to know where you're hiding the children."

Cattaraugus County Legislator Mark Ward is hoping to find some middle ground, knowing the closures would mean job losses.  When asked who he believes he said, "I don't know."

He wants a meeting with the agency's commissioner.

Ward said, "Can we keep these open? Maybe they can take a different format or a different form, different kind of facility."

Meanwhile, there's even some resistance to closing the facilities from the court bench.

Chautauqua County Family Court Judge Judith Claire says the state has not made provisions for community based programs, and she predicts there will be negative consequences, "They don't exist in western New York or at least in the rural counties like Chautauqua, Cattaraugus.  Everybody knows there's no money to start new programs. I mean these things aren't going to happen."

Governor Paterson is hoping to save about $16 million by closing the two facilities in our region and several others, and not have to wait a year to make it happen, as required by law.