Supervisors discuss funding shortfall for victim advocate; no decision made

Gage County supervisors discussed a request from local law enforcement to fund a victim advocate assistant position after a grant that previously supported the role ended.

County officials said the position previously received grant funding and that the grant "went away this year," creating a shortfall. County staff described a request for an additional $7,000 plus another $13,000, for what was characterized in discussion as a total of $20,000 from the county, with the city expected to match. The board did not authorize funding at the May 28 meeting; members asked for numbers and said they would need to review the county budget before committing.

Board members and staff discussed that the legislature requires staying in contact with victims, creating an operational need for victim advocacy services, and suggested cost sharing with the city might be appropriate. Several supervisors said they would like to review specific budget figures and funding sources before making a decision; staff estimated they would have better information in one to a few weeks but did not set a firm deadline.

No formal motion or vote occurred; the discussion concluded with direction to gather budget details and revisit the request.