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Mayor’s office highlights youth jobs and new joint violence‑prevention office as city tightens spending
Summary
The executive division said it expects to expand youth employment and after‑school programming while the city implements austerity elsewhere; the administration also described a reconstituted joint office for neighborhood safety and violence intervention that will focus and measure outreach and interventions.
Antonio Adams, chief operating officer, presented the executive division’s FY26 proposed budget and emphasized community programs the administration expects to maintain or expand even as the city holds the line on overall spending. Adams told the committee the office of youth services served roughly 1,900 students this year across employment and enrichment programs and expects to expand to about 2,400 participants by adjusting program timing and application processes.
Director Harris (Office of Youth Services) said the office has moved from a single annual application period toward continuous recruitment and reduced documentation barriers to improve access. Harris said the city contracted with the University of Memphis this year to validate program outcomes and that the program produced high satisfaction scores in post‑program surveys.
Adams also described the new Joint Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, a partnership with Shelby County to coordinate community‑based intervention and prevention services. Adams said the office will focus on targeted interventions and metrics and bring more consistent reporting and data to violence‑prevention efforts. Karen Goss, special assistant to the mayor, said the PJA (partnership/joint agency) meetings that bring residents and city representatives together will continue and staff are working to make follow‑up reports more consistent.
Council members asked for more specific performance data for violence intervention and the GVIP program. Councilman Warren and others requested clear “before‑and‑after” metrics that show the program’s contacts and outcomes; the administration agreed to provide a fuller presentation that explains how interventions are counted, how “touches” translate to outcomes and the roles of community‑based organizations in the network.
Adams and youth services staff emphasized prioritizing internships, vocational training and partnerships with Tennessee College of Applied Technology and other local organizations to create career paths for participants. Adams said the division aims to meet immediate needs while seeking leveraged private and public partnerships to expand opportunities without increasing long‑term recurring general‑fund commitments.
Ending: The council asked the administration to return with program‑level metrics for youth employment and violence‑intervention programs and to show how recurring costs funded with ARPA or other one‑time dollars will be or will not be folded into the base budget going forward.
