Council directs staff to fund GREAT youth program from alcohol‑prevention fund

The Muskogee City Council on March 20 voted to direct staff to determine an appropriation and return with a budget amendment to fund the local Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, with Councilor Melody Cranford proposing the youth alcohol prevention fund as the source.

Councilor Cranford introduced the item and asked Officer Ron Mays, the community resource officer who runs the program in Muskogee juvenile court, to speak. Officer Mays described restarting the program in juvenile court after it had been dormant, and he invited several young people who participated to tell council how the program helped them. One participant, Lathan, told council the program helped him stop vaping and placed him “going down the right path instead of the wrong path.” Other participants described learning anger control and mindfulness skills.

Cranford recommended using available funds in the youth alcohol prevention account and asked staff to prepare a budget amendment once an amount is determined. A council member asked whether money from that account had been spent previously; city staff replied funds had not been allocated for spending and that the balance remains in the account. Cranford moved to direct staff to determine the amount and prepare the budget amendment; a council member seconded the motion and the council approved it unanimously on roll call.

The council’s action directs staff to return at a subsequent meeting with a budget amendment specifying the amount and appropriation. The vote does not itself appropriate funds; the amendment will state the dollar amount and the line‑item changes.