It is said that numbers don’t lie. Perhaps, but they may not always tell the entire truth.
An organization made a presentation to the Barton County Commission Monday morning. Based in Great Bend, this entity has strong roots in the central Kansas counties it serves and manages to stay busy just about all the time.
It had budget for this fiscal year of $780,245. The administrative costs are 11 percent  of the overall budget which seems pretty darned efficient, especially considering that its various programs serve thousands of people each year.
Of that total budget, $414,431 goes to payroll and $80,839 for goods and services, most of which is spent in Barton County. Again, this is another sign that this entity is a success.
On the surface, this all seems like a real boon to the local economy. It is, but it comes with a price.
The organization in question is the Family Crisis Center. It serves those who have suffered from domestic and sexual violence, abuse and neglect through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Center and the Dell Hayden Memorial Child Advocacy Center.
In one way or another, the FCC helps adults and children in Barton, Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush and Stafford counties.
FCC Director Laura Patzner said the need for the center’s services keeps growing. This is one case where having more customers is not a good thing.
It is sad that there is even a place for the center, let alone that this place is expanding.
However, it is also good to know that it exists and is there to help the victims of these hyaenas crimes.
Dale Hogg