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Public commenters press council on violence‑reduction grants, Crime Stoppers funding and language access as 2025 budget hearing opens
Summary
At the Nov. 26 first public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget, community speakers urged council to address perceived grant mismanagement in the Violence Reduction Grant, reconsider funding for Savannah‑Chatham Crime Stoppers, and allocate translation resources. City staff said the budget is balanced with no millage increase and noted existing language‑access funding.
The Savannah City Council opened the first public hearing on its proposed 2025 service program and budget on Nov. 26 and received several two‑minute public comments on the proposal and related community needs.
Mayor Van Johnson and the city manager described the budget as balanced, with no millage increase and no draw on reserves; staff reiterated that council will have a second hearing on Dec. 19.
Trey Singleton, executive director and founder of Urban Mentoring Academy of Savannah, asked council to convene the Violence Reduction Grant committee (the ONE office) after his program — a two‑time grant recipient — was reportedly told the committee considers the group to not work with high‑risk youth. Singleton said his organization had served twice the target number of youth and had juvenile court referrals and asked the council to “support UMAO Savannah by enforcing” a meeting with the grant committee so staff can demonstrate work and deliverables.
Jerry Long urged council to reconsider funding for Savannah‑Chatham Crime Stoppers, which he said had been effective and which he said received no funding in the proposed budget; the city manager and staff said past contract deliverables were incomplete, that the city had paid Crime Stoppers about $25,000 this year, and that funds exist within the police department budget for similar work but staff would meet with the organization to discuss staffing and deliverables.
Edward Delgado of Micro Equity Southeast requested dedicated funds for translation services to improve language access for non‑English speakers engaging with budget materials and civic processes; staff said the city previously funded a language access line for 311 and has budgeted translation resources under the communications department and has translated frequently used forms.
The public hearing was closed at the end of the session; council will receive a second hearing on Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. in the same room.
