Jul. 26—NEW LONDON — Callers dialing the city's Youth Affairs' office phone number this week were immediately greeted by an automated message laying out the status of a popular, but lately inaccessible, youth employment program.

The message informs callers inquiring about the waiting list for the summer work program that the agency will contact them "in case of an opening."

In an effort to address the crowded applicant list, the City Council on July 17 approved using $90,000 in unexpected state funding to add 50 more New London spots into the CT Youth Employment program.

The money goes to employers to add positions for youth workers, and also helps fund employee transportation, worker compensation, Social Security and administration costs.

But even with the new funding, dozens of kids are still waiting for open job slots that aren't expected to materialize this year.

The CT Youth Employment Program is an Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board offering that EASTCONN, a nonprofit regional educational service center, conducts in partnership with New London Youth Affairs and Norwich Youth & Family Services to offer jobs to Eastern Connecticut participants between ages 14 and 24.

As of Wednesday, about 100 New London youths were still waiting for jobs, though roughly half those applications were paused due to incomplete information, said Cindy Alvarez, youth development and program specialist for the city's youth services department.

Mayor Michael Passero said he learned in June about the long wait list and was told then the infusion of the $90,000 would help address the problem.

But as word spread about additional work spots possibly opening up, more applications continued to pour into the youth affairs' office, Alvarez said.

"We got something like another 50 people applying and it was already too late to get kids into the summer program," she said. "And since the programs we run during the school year are paid with left over summer funds, we won't be able to add new jobs without more funding."

Finance Director David McBride said the council-approved funding to add the 50 job slots is coming from state Payment in Lieu of Taxes, or PILOT, funding the city did not anticipate receiving when it crafted the current municipal budget.

In New London, youths who sign up for the work program are paid $15 an hour — the state's minimum wage — and can request a variety of work locations, including the Garde Arts Center, summer camps, the Salvation Army and school classrooms, as well as private businesses, including Mystic Seaport Museum, Alvarez said.