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Montezuma County declines to pursue summer food grant; urges schools to act
Summary
After debate over capacity, funding and logistics, county commissioners voted to not pursue administering a summer food grant requested by local school districts, returning responsibility to the schools.
Montezuma County commissioners on April 7 voted not to pursue a proposed summer food grant that local school districts had asked the county’s public health department to administer.
The schools reportedly sought county help after losing staff capacity; county staff and commissioners raised concerns about funding shortfalls, operational capacity and program logistics. Commissioners said state funding that had previously supported such programs (including COVID-era allocations) has been depleted; one speaker at the meeting described kitchen waste in prior implementations reaching "65 to 70%" when meal counts were inflated and not consumed.
County administrators told commissioners they had attempted to contact the school district for more information but had received no response. Commissioners argued the county lacks the facilities and workforce to reliably deliver the program and said the school district should take responsibility if the program is to continue. After discussion, the board moved and seconded a motion to not pursue the summer food grant proposal; the motion carried on a voice vote.
Provenance: topicintro SEG 1576; topfinish SEG 1726.
Speakers quoted or referenced: Mary Dodd (public comment), County Public Health staff, county administrators and commissioners.
