As budget-setting continues in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee today, JFAC has drawn the line at putting state general funds into the National Guard “Youth Challenge” program, which it launched several years ago with the promise that it wouldn’t seek general funds.

Guard officials said they’ve found a need to post 10 Guard members to the Youth Challenge during the first two weeks of the program each year, to promote discipline and prevent truancy among the 16- to 18-year-old cadets as they acclimate to the program.

“The enabling legislation, when we put this program into place, said federal funding, private donations, grants, and of course the ADA for schooling,” said Rep. Maxine Bell, R-Jerome, JFAC co-chair, referring to state per-student education funds, which the program receives for high school courses it provides. “There was no mention at that time ... for this type of guard activity.”

Brigadier General John Goodale said, “This is unexpected. We didn’t expect … that we would need to provide extra personnel during this acclimation period. The way we’ve done that is sending active guard and reserve personnel up.” That’s been done with federal funds, but Goodale said now active guardsmen are going to be busy with other duties and deployments, and so the Guard would like to send part-timers, who are paid with state funds.

“That particular time period, we’re very concerned about their (cadets’) safety, we want to keep them in the program. It’s a two-week time period,” he told JFAC. “If we could get half the funding, that would be great. … We don’t want ‘em taking off in the middle of the winter and we’re out searching for them, and that takes more personnel.”

Gov. Butch Otter had recommended $97,300 in state general funds for the program, on an ongoing basis, pursuant to the Guard’s request. But JFAC stood firm, and voted unanimously, 20-0, to approve a budget for the state Military Division that leaves out that item.

Sen. Dan Johnson, R-Lewiston, said, “I think they have a valid concern up there.” But, he said, when the program started, “They said no general funds.”

The Youth Challenge is a volunteer program for youth age 16-18 who are at risk of dropping out or already have dropped out of high school; it’s a highly structured and disciplined program that includes a 22-week residential phase followed by a 12-month mentoring period in which the cadets return to their home communities. The program is in its fourth year; it’s based in Pierce, in north-central Idaho.

The overall budget for the state Military Division that JFAC set today reflects a 5.1 percent increase in state general funds and a 2.6 percent increase in total funds.

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