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Tavares council splits 3–2 on community grants; Triangle Community Alliance excluded
Summary
Council awarded four $400 community grants from a $2,000 pool but voted 3–2 to withhold $400 from Triangle Community Alliance after a council member raised concerns about local implementation of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
The Tavares City Council voted 3–2 on Jan. 20 to award community‑grant funds to four nonprofit applicants and to exclude the Triangle Community Alliance from the $400 award after debate over the group's local activities.
Miss Novak presented the grant program and said the council had budgeted $2,000 for small community grants this fiscal year and received five applications from qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations. Recommended awards were $400 each to Angel Flight Southeast; the Educational Foundation of Lake County (for the Tavares Community Scholarship); Lake Cares Inc.; Tavares Theater Inc.; and Triangle Community Alliance.
Councilmember James Jess said he had researched the Triangle Community Alliance and the local implementation of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and said he found "a lot of negativity" that made him unwilling to support funding for that applicant. "I'm gonna vote no on that," Jess said on the record. Other council members said the applicants were worthy and suggested the city might consider raising the grant budget in future years to make awards more meaningful.
After discussion about whether applicants already received in‑kind city support, and whether the city should divide funds differently during the year, a motion to award four grants (excluding Triangle Community Alliance) carried 3–2. Councilmembers in favor argued that the four recommended groups met the program criteria; those opposing the exclusion said they preferred awarding all five or reconsidering selection criteria.
The council record shows the city will award the approved grants at $400 each from the FY2026 community‑grants allocation, and staff flagged the option of reviewing program timing and possible quarterly disbursements to allow funding for emerging needs during the year.
Next steps: staff will process the approved grant awards and bring forward any suggested program changes or budget adjustments for future fiscal years.
