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Talbot County Council approves $50,000 emergency payment to Neighborhood Service Center, will consider larger request
Summary
After a presentation by Neighborhood Service Center leaders about delayed federal reimbursements that threaten operations, the council approved an immediate $50,000 payment from county contingency and asked staff for documents and follow-up before deciding on a requested $150,000 support package.
The Talbot County Council on April 8 approved a $50,000 emergency payment to the Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) after the center’s executive director, Marilyn Lehi, told council members delayed federal reimbursements have left the agency unable to cover previously expended program costs.
NSC provides emergency assistance, workforce development and other services for low-income Talbot County residents. Lehi said federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) reimbursements have been held up and that the agency has already spent the funds it expected to be reimbursed for, putting day-to-day operations at risk and forcing staff reductions and suspended maintenance at its building. “We will face staff layoffs and the possibility [of] being forced to close,” Lehi told the council.
The request presented to the council asked for $150,000 to cover the agency’s near-term cash flow gap. Council members pressed for additional detail before committing to the full amount, asking for evidence of Talbot County’s formal relationship with NSC, documentation for the requested sum and what municipalities the agency has asked to contribute. Several council members and community leaders on the dais emphasized the agency’s value and the urgency of the situation.
After discussion about loan versus grant options and the need for further documentation, the council voted 5–0 to approve a $50,000 disbursement from county contingency as an immediate bridge. Council members said they would revisit the full $150,000 request at a future meeting after staff and NSC provided the requested materials and any municipal responses. Interim actions and follow-up items included asking county staff to confirm whether NSC is designated as the county’s community action agency in county records, and to report back on the agency’s submitted requests to municipalities (Easton, St. Michaels, Oxford, Trapp). Councilmembers suggested NSC work with county department leaders — including Talbot Family Network staff — on potential service consolidations and longer-term sustainability strategies.
NSC’s Lehi said she had requested $33,000 from several municipalities in addition to the county request and that the $150,000 ask represented the amount needed to cover expenses already paid that have not yet been reimbursed. Council members noted the agency has reduced staffing and hours and encouraged coordinated approaches to avoid service disruptions while longer-term solutions are developed.
Council president Craig Callahan thanked NSC leaders and asked local media and the public to help draw attention and private funding to the center’s needs. The council directed county staff to compile the requested documentation for the next meeting and signaled willingness to consider further county support once the additional materials are submitted.
Ending: Councilmembers stressed the payment is an immediate bridge and not a long-term fix; they asked NSC and county staff to return with clear documentation and proposed options for financial stabilization at the next meeting.
