Nonprofits appeal to county for budget support; YMCA reports ARPA-funded renovation

During public comments on Oct. 7, 2025, multiple Montgomery nonprofits appealed to the Montgomery County Commission for funding and updated commissioners on completed work funded through county American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations.

Robert Wagstaff, who said he works with All Collaborative and the Community Development Corporation, asked the commission to consider a $40,000 allocation to complete a house-build project. He said the group had raised $60,000 to date, sought an additional $30,000 from current fundraising and requested $40,000 from the county to reach a $130,000 target to build a 1,328-square-foot, four-bedroom house.

Minister Mercy Green, pastor of Clay Street Baptist Church and a representative of Montgomery Community Action, said the Montgomery Community Action Agency — which she said has served county residents for more than 60 years — was excluded from this year’s county budget and asked the commission to amend the budget to reinstate county funding. "We humbly ask that you would amend the budget to reconsider us in the county budget," she said during public comment.

AJ Hernandez, identified as executive director of the Montgomery White House, gave an update on the Kershaw YMCA renovations. He said the Kershaw facility was renovated with county-provided ARPA funds and reopened with a community lobby open to nonmembers, meeting rooms available to the public, and renovated fitness and court facilities. Hernandez said the renovations will help regenerate youth sports and community programming in West Montgomery and thanked the commission for ARPA support.

Commissioners responded from the dais. One commissioner noted the commission’s funding reductions to the YMCA and pledged personal support: "I am committed to doing 80 memberships at Kershaw," the commissioner said. Another commissioner praised the YMCA project for putting ARPA funds to immediate use and said completed projects inspire public confidence in ARPA spending.

Several public-comment speakers also asked for small, immediate appropriations: William Bridal requested expedited support for the Lacey Boyd parade to allow advertising and vendor deposits with roughly two months to the event. No formal appropriations or budget amendments were made at the meeting; the requests were placed on the record for commission consideration.

Wagstaff, Green and other nonprofit representatives stressed volunteer capacity and past performance: Wagstaff said his group has built five homes and does volunteer construction and oversight; Green emphasized the agency’s countywide service to low-income residents. Commissioners did not vote on funding at the meeting but indicated they would consider the appeals during budget processes.