VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP
We always try our best to accommodate the needs of everyone who comes in our door at the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office. But, we also must follow Indiana Law and our Eligibility Standards, which sometimes require us to deny assistance to persons who come to us for help. Recently my staff and I have gotten some questions from persons we had to deny. I want those individuals to know that I understand their frustration, and we would help them if we could.
When an individual is denied because they are not eligible for Township Assistance, we still have some options to help them. We often refer them to our Community Resource Specialist, Dennis Powell. Mr. Powell tries to find other agencies within our community which might be able to help. He works with utility companies too to see if a payment plan or other option can be worked out for back utility bills and deposits.
Persons who need food can come to our office on Monday mornings and get food from the Community Harvest Farm Wagon. Anyone is eligible for food from the Farm Wagon regardless of whether or not they are eligible for Township Assistance. Associated Churches also has a food bank within our office for those who need food, and the food bank clients don’t have to be Wayne Township clients.
I have noticed that some persons who are denied Township Assistance don’t seem to understand why they were denied. If a client does not understand the reason for denial, please ask the investigator to explain again. If the client still does not understand, he or she can speak to a supervisor. I know understanding the reason for a denial can be complicated because it is a legal matter and many of us may not be familiar with the legal terms being used.
One of the legal terms regularly used for a denial is “wasted resources.” This is often confusing for clients. What this term means is that a client has used his or her income to purchase items that are not by law considered to be basic necessities of living. The law spells out what constitutes basic necessities, and that definition is very narrow. It includes food, shelter, medical care, clothing, household essentials, utilities and some transportation costs. It does not include a telephone unless you need it for medical reasons, internet, cable TV, car repairs or payments and many of the other bills we might normally think of as basic. So, when a client uses his or her income to purchase items that do not meet the definition of basic necessities, we must deny them for “wasted resources.”
State Law and our Eligibility Standards contain many other reasons for denying assistance. For example, to receive Township Assistance, a person must meet our income guidelines. If a client has received assistance before, he or she must have completed his or her assigned work hours at a government or non-profit agency. All clients able to work, must be enrolled and complete the requirements for our Employment Training Center before receiving further assistance. If a client is not satisfied with the reason given for the denial, he or she may appeal the decision to the Allen County Commissioners, where the client will receive a hearing before a neutral hearing officer. The client also can fill out a comment form at our office, and I will review that form and contact the client for further information or follow-up, if necessary.
I want to congratulate our boy’s backpack winner from the Waynedale Picnic, four-year-old Jackson Goree. Jackson is the son of Susan and Jason Goree, who reside in the Waynedale area. I was delighted to be able to have a drawing at the Waynedale Picnic this year to give away a boy’s and a girl’s backpack filled with school supplies. Through the efforts of our Wayne Township staff, we also were able to give away school supplies at the picnic. We announced the girl’s winner in the last issue of The Waynedale News.
Richard A. Stevenson, Sr.
Wayne Township Trustee
www.waynetownship.org
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