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NAACP vice president, residents urge Lancaster council to back youth programs
Summary
During the council's budget comment period, several residents and nonprofit leaders urged the Lancaster City Council to support local youth programs, asking the council to prioritize funding or partnership for organizations with proven outreach results.
NAACP first vice president and local medical provider (speaker 10) told the Lancaster City Council during the budget comment period on March 17 that a formerly successful nonprofit she led reduced medication use and problematic behavior among children and should receive city support if reconstituted.
"I am asking, you know, this council to support the new not‑for‑profit that have been formulated," the speaker said, describing clinicians and community partners who produced measurable improvements before the organization paused during the COVID period. She named Dr. Goldsmith and Dr. David Yarborough as clinicians who worked with the prior program and said the reformed effort will submit a proposal to the city.
Other public commenters described similar grassroots efforts and the practical barriers they face. One program founder (speaker 11) said he launched a boxing program in 2023, paid much of the cost out of pocket and struggled to place flyers in schools or get consistent coordination with law enforcement. "I had a good successful run from 2023 to 2026… I keep getting no communication whatsoever," he said, urging the council to help bridge coordination gaps.
Mary Stewart (speaker 12) urged the council to use city‑owned property on Highway 521 — a building the city has purchased and not yet activated — for low‑cost recreation so children have a safe place to play without high participation fees. She told the council many families cannot afford AAU or summer programs and asked that the coming budget year include support for accessible recreation and youth services.
Several commenters emphasized a preference for funding organizations with a track record of fieldwork and community trust rather than newly created entities with less demonstrated reach. A community worker said, "We don't like to get involved with dirty money," arguing the council should prioritize legitimate, grassroots providers that already do outreach in neighborhoods.
Why it matters: Council members said public comment would inform the budget process for fiscal year 2026–27, which the city will develop after formally adopting priorities. The citizen testimony focused attention on youth services, recreation access, and stronger coordination between nonprofits, schools and law enforcement — themes council members later incorporated into their goal‑setting discussion.
What happens next: Council staff will compile the public comments for inclusion in budget deliberations as the council's goals are converted into a resolution and incorporated into the 2026–27 budget development schedule. No formal funding decisions were made during the public comment period.
