Agreement will keep Middletown community center open

A Middletown agency has been hired to provide interim daily management of the Robert “Sonny” Hill Community Center, a city official said.

Joel Gross, the director of the center, resigned earlier this month. The city has contracted with the Community Building Institute at Miami University Middletown (CBI) to manage the center for 90 days starting Jan. 1, 2014, said Doug Adkins, director of community revitalization for the city.

Staffing has been at a minimum level at the center due to budget cuts in the city, according to Adkins. The departure of Gross left the city with no manager at the facility. He said the interim agreement “maintains the status quo” and allows the center to remain open with existing programming while the city looks at longer term solutions.

He said the city is in discussions with CBI to examine whether a longer term agreement might provide additional funding sources for programming while reducing city expenses for the center.

Gross was making $34,249 a year as director, according to city records. In the city’s proposed 2014 budget, the center was expected to receive as 20 percent reduction from $200,000 to $160,000, according to Judy Gilleland, city manager.

The CBI’s Parent Resource Center also is located inside the community center.

Question: What fund pays the $160,000 for the Middletown Community Center?
 I thought the majority of their funding came from grants.