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Equity office outlines CRRF outreach and says CRRF funds support 53 Meals on Wheels participants
Summary
The Office of Equity and Access described workforce- and budget-equity initiatives and the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF); fiscal staff said $183,000 in CRRF funds are budgeted to continue Meals on Wheels for 53 additional Waldorf-area seniors and staff are drafting a transportation policy for potential CRRF-funded rides.
Renisha Miles, the county's chief equity and access officer, told commissioners the Office of Equity and Access is focusing on workforce equity training, a budget-equity tool integrated with department budget requests, and community engagement around a Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund (CRRF) derived from state cannabis tax revenues.
"We will be looking to add an additional 3 members, community representatives specifically to this group as the fund has designated zip codes in our areas that the fund can be utilized in all in Waldorf, 20601, 20602, and 20603," Miles said, describing outreach and a July 9 public CRF meeting at Elite Gymnastics and Recreation Center.
Commissioners pressed staff on how CRRF allocations are determined and whether the public survey is limited to the three ZIP codes. Miles said the survey is open countywide for input but reiterated that CRRF money must be spent in the designated Waldorf ZIP codes and that the office emphasizes identifying metrics to track "how much did we do, how well did we do it, and is anyone better off?"
Jake Dyer, director of fiscal administrative services, answered commissioner questions about Meals on Wheels funding. Dyer said the county initially budgeted $400,000 but, after coordination with Community Services, narrowed CRRF support for the Meals on Wheels initiative to $183,000. "The $183,000 that we have in the budget for next year from the CRF is to continue to provide Meals on Wheels funding for those 53 participants that live in the Waldorf area," Dyer said, adding that without CRRF funding those 53 participants would be removed from the program unless alternate funding is identified.
Commissioners also asked whether CRRF-funded transportation would reach homebound residents. Staff replied they are drafting a clear policy about allowable transportation uses (noting existing VanGo service does not cover all areas) and that funding could be added later by midyear transfer or in a future budget after the policy is in place.
The board requested follow-up data, including a countywide accounting of Meals on Wheels funding and comparative metrics on the budget-equity tool's results across recent fiscal cycles.
