Sumner County panel approves Safe Baby Court contract amendment to preserve roughly $41,000 for families

Sumner County commissioners at an April 27 opioid committee meeting approved a contract amendment to allow the county’s Safe Baby Court program to use remaining grant funds from the current award cycle instead of reapplying next year.

The amendment stems from a $50,000 grant awarded to the program during the last funding cycle. A court representative told the committee that the program had drawn down about $8,000 and asked the county to amend the contract so remaining funds — roughly $41,000 — would be available to families starting June 1 and the contract would run through June 30, 2027.

The proposal was moved, seconded and approved by a voice vote; no detailed tally was recorded in the meeting transcript. The chair said the amendment was time-sensitive and urged its addition to the agenda before discussion and the approval vote.

The Safe Baby Court representative described the request as procedural and intended to ensure continuity of services for two families already in the pipeline. The representative said the amendment would allow the program to continue under the old contract for the remainder of the grant cycle so those families could begin receiving assistance in June.

Commissioners did not record a roll-call vote in the public minutes provided with the transcript; the transcript records a voice vote with the motion carried. The meeting record includes no additional conditions attached to the amendment; staff indicated they would follow up with any requested documentation.

The committee also heard that the mayor had previously told state opioid officials the county committee’s work had been “very complimentary,” language commissioners cited when recognizing local volunteers and partner organizations.

Next steps: staff said they would process the contract amendment and provide any requested follow-up materials to the committee.