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Beacon After School director urges city, county to match $25,000 district contribution
Summary
Beacon After School director Zondra Outland told council the program faces funding shortfalls and asked Moab and Grand County to match the school district’s $25,000 contribution to avoid a 60% service reduction next year.
Zondra Outland, director of the Beacon After School Program, delivered public comment at the March 25 meeting and asked the city and county to consider matching the Grand County School District’s existing $25,000 contribution to avert a large reduction in services.
Outland said the program currently serves about 350–400 students and reported current enrollment of 380. She said several state and federal funding sources that previously supported the program are disappearing and that Beacon faces a potential 60% reduction in services next school year without new local support. “We are looking at reducing services by about 60% next school year,” Outland said, and said that would mean serving roughly 200 fewer students.
Outland noted the program’s academic and social benefits and provided data points from Beacon’s surveys and economic summaries: she cited a parental-survey statistic that 87% of parents support public funding for out-of-school-time programs for the peace of mind and workforce benefits they provide, and said Beacon’s free services reduce local childcare costs and support workforce participation. She asked the council to work with Beacon on matching funds to allow the program to pursue additional fundraising and sustain services.
Council did not take formal action during the meeting on the request; staff and councilmembers acknowledged the ask and said staff would take the request into account as budget discussions proceed.
