The Portage County Board of Commissioners meeting on July 3, 2025, focused on significant updates regarding the Brady Lake Group Home and discussions surrounding a proposed levy to support child and elderly services.

The meeting began with a report on the Brady Lake Group Home, which has been operational since 2019. The home was established to provide care for teenagers in the county's custody, with a goal of reintegrating them into their communities. As of July 2025, the home has admitted 62 children, with current occupancy at two residents. The director highlighted a notable decrease in the number of children in foster care and residential facilities, from 28 in 2017 to just five currently. However, the needs of the children remaining in care are increasingly complex, often involving mental health and developmental challenges.

In light of these evolving needs, the director proposed repurposing the group home to accommodate younger children, ages six to eighteen, to address emergency placement situations. This change aims to provide a more suitable environment for younger children awaiting permanent placements, rather than having them placed in institutional settings. The director emphasized the importance of maintaining a home-like atmosphere for these vulnerable children and requested the board's support for modifying the home's license to reflect this new focus.

The discussion then shifted to the upcoming levy, which aims to support services for abused, neglected, and dependent children, as well as elderly individuals in need. The current levy, set at 0.5 mills, is crucial for funding child protective services, especially as the county has seen an increase in adult protective service cases, rising from 42 to 64 in just one year. The director expressed concerns about potential future funding shortfalls and proposed expanding the levy to encompass broader human services, including emergency support for seniors.

The board members acknowledged the growing needs of both children and seniors in the community and discussed the importance of presenting a unified levy to voters in the upcoming November ballot. The proposed changes aim to ensure that the county can effectively address the diverse needs of its residents while maintaining essential services.

In conclusion, the meeting underscored the county's commitment to adapting its services to meet the changing demographics and needs of its population, with a focus on providing comprehensive support for both children and elderly residents. The board's support for the proposed changes to the group home and the levy will be crucial in addressing these pressing issues.