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Commissioners back county participation in local gun‑violence alliance; decline contracting with Cure Violence Global
Summary
After staff reported that Cure Violence Global would not provide federally funded services in Alachua County under its DOJ grant, the commission voted to continue working with the City of Gainesville and the local alliance on a countywide strategy; the board did not authorize a county contract with Cure Violence Global.
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 28 voted to continue participation in a locally led gun‑violence alliance coordinated with the City of Gainesville and Santa Fe College, and did not authorize a county contract with Cure Violence Global (CVG).
County Manager Andrew Lieberman told commissioners that CVG had pursued a federal grant that would have included services in Alachua County, but then informed staff it would not implement the federally funded grant work in the county. CVG later said it would be willing to work under a county contract, but commissioners asked whether the county should replace the CVG approach or continue the local alliance that already coordinates city, college, and community partners.
Mister Smart (staff liaison) and City of Gainesville representatives said the alliance continues to pursue a multi‑part plan funded largely by a Community Trust/Children’s Trust award: youth steering committees, small grants to community groups, an interrupter program expansion and a strategic planning process to guide countywide violence‑prevention investments. The city said it will RFP for a locally‑driven strategic plan on behalf of the alliance; the alliance will include stakeholders from city, county, community groups and law enforcement.
Commissioner comments split on whether to contract CVG directly, but a motion to proceed with the alliance and for the county to participate in the alliance’s locally designed strategic planning process passed 3–1 (Commissioner Prizia opposed). The board asked staff to continue alliance work, to coordinate with the Children’s Trust funding and to ensure the county’s needs and unincorporated communities are represented in the strategic plan.
Ending — Staff will continue alliance participation, coordinate use of trust funds to develop local strategic planning and report back to the board as the planning effort produces a scope, implementation steps and a proposed budget.
