By Brenna R. Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

BURLINGTON - Boone County officials are to decide tonight whether to turn over the operation of Maplewood Children's Home to a private organization.

Faced with fewer admissions and a growing deficit being picked up by taxpayers, Boone County decided to look at leasing the county-owned emergency shelter for children. Out of three proposals, county officials picked the Children's Home of Northern Kentucky, which would continue to operate a shelter.

"This could be a win-win situation for us," said County Administrator Jim Parsons. "They would provide the service, you would still have an emergency shelter for youth but it isn't costing the county anything."

Because of a change in state policy, the state is sending fewer children to the shelter. The shelter is averaging 12 kids a day, though it is licensed for 29. In the last three years, admission has declined 37 percent.

In addition, the state, which places the children in the home, is not paying the county enough to cover the costs. That means Boone County taxpayers paid almost $400,000 last year to cover those costs.

"It will be an important savings for us," Parsons said, adding that the money will go in the county's general fund.

Only 20 percent of the children placed in the shelter lived in Boone County. The others come from Campbell, Kenton and other counties.

"I've been concerned for a while. It's just less and less Boone County kids," said Commissioner Charlie Kenner, who said he was leaning toward voting for the proposal at tonight's Fiscal Court meeting.

Commissioner Cathy Flaig said she needs specifics about what would happen to the 11 full-time and seven part-time employees at Maplewood.

Commissioner Terri Moore said she also needs more answers about what will happen to the employees but she thinks privatizing the shelter is a good business decision.

Maplewood Director Kirk Kavanaugh also supported Children's Home of Northern Kentucky's proposal. The Home would run a 24-bed home for boys and would create 20 full-time jobs.

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E-mail bkelly@enquirer.com