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County to support part‑time summer youth coordinator; after‑school need to be met by Condon Early Learning expansion
Summary
Gilliam County Court discussed a summer youth program and directed staff to proceed with a part‑time coordinator funded by public health prevention dollars; county may provide gap funding if needed, while after‑school services will be provided by the expanded Condon Early Learning Center when it opens.
Gilliam County Court directed staff on March 5 to move forward with a part‑time coordinator for a county‑supported summer youth program, using prevention‑oriented public health funds to cover the position and programming this year.
Commissioners and county staff described prior conversations with public health and Condon School District about both summer and after‑school child care needs. County staff reported that the Condon Early Learning Center’s planned expansion will provide after‑school care once construction and program build‑out are complete; that future availability means the immediate county role is to support a summer program for this year.
County staff proposed hiring one responsible adult to run the summer program on a half‑time basis, augmented by teen aides (e.g., high‑schoolers) to reduce operating costs and provide leadership opportunities. Staff named Daelene Selby and Lisa Helms as individuals ready to take responsibility for summer programming using prevention dollars already allocated; they estimated the prevention funds available to the program at about $61,000.
The court discussed the difficulty of recruiting for part‑time positions but acknowledged the budgetary and workload concerns of hiring someone full time without sustained funding. Commissioners agreed with a half‑time approach for the initial season and requested that county staff help ensure there is a contingency plan to provide gap funding if prevention dollars fall short so the program will proceed.
County staff also said that summer meals would be provided through the school partnership and that the program director should coordinate with other community providers (for example, local arts organizations) to reduce duplication and ensure consistent supervision. No formal appropriation was made at the meeting; the court instructed staff to proceed to advertise and finalize the position within the budget planning process.
