Representatives of county-funded agencies and programs are asking Douglas County commissioners for leniency when budget decisions are made during the next few days.

“If you are going to cut us, cut us a little,” said Ron Stegall, referring to the district court’s Community Service Work program, which he supervises along with Douglas County Community Corrections. Stegall was one of several department heads who met with commissioners during a second day of budget talks this week.

The Community Service Work program matches offenders assigned to it by the court to do community service as part of their sentences. That meant 16,000 hours in 2007 of unpaid labor to local social service agencies, Stegall said.

CSW funding is split by the county and the city of Lawrence. County Administrator Craig Weinaug’s 2009 budget proposal recommends providing $28,756 to CSW. That would pay half the salary and benefits for the program coordinator’s position under Stegall. Weinaug and Stegall said that if the county provides the funding, the city is likely to continue its funding.

The county, however, is considering dropping its funding. Commissioner Charles Jones noted the increasing costs of public safety.

“I just refuse to accept that, as a matter of principle, any one of our departments can’t find a way to be more efficient,” he said.

Commissioners are also looking at cutting funding for the Emergency Services Council and Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) by as little as 5 percent or as much as 100 percent.

The ESC, headed by Ballard Community Center Inc., 708 Elm St., provides assistance to people having difficulty paying utilities and rent. More than 300 households benefited from ESC in 2007, according to Paul Hunt, Ballard’s director of human services. The council’s efforts help prevent more people from becoming homeless, he said, adding that the number of people seeking help is increasing because of the troubled economy.

CASA representatives said their program has used volunteers to advocate for 75 to 100 children annually who have been abused and are under the court’s protection.