Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Neighborhood Leaders topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public speakers and commissioners press to restore Neighborhood Leaders funding
Summary
Residents and nonprofit leaders told the Athens-Clarke County Commission the Neighborhood Leaders program delivers direct support and preventative services; commissioners discussed using one-time fund-balance dollars to bridge a proposed 35% cut and urged work with the school district for long-term funding.
Residents and nonprofit leaders urged the Athens-Clarke County Commission on Thursday to preserve funding for the Neighborhood Leaders program as the commission considered amendments to the mayor's FY2027 recommended budget.
Patrick Howard, a neighborhood leader with Family Connection Communities and Schools, told commissioners the program acts as "that extension of the family member" and that its staff help residents navigate resources. "If you will continue to support us, we can continue to support this community," he said.
Alice Kenman, vice president of Family Connection Communities and Schools and a former Clarke County commissioner, described the Neighborhood Leaders network as "trained resource brokers" who provide on-the-ground data to the county and connect neighbors to services. She said the program humanizes the data behind service needs and helps avert crises.
Danielle Shields, a parent who receives assistance from the program, gave a short personal account of help she has received for food and referrals and said, "this program is definitely vital ... it does make a difference in the community and in our lives." Commissioners thanked speakers and moved into staff-led budget discussion.
Staff told the commission the mayor's recommended budget includes $722,661 for Neighborhood Leaders, down from $1.1 million in prior allocations. That reduction represents roughly a $380,000 cut (about 35%). Staff also said the mayor's proposal indicates eight positions would be supported by the listed funding, though those employees are not county employees.
Several commissioners proposed using a portion of newly available revenue (described elsewhere in the meeting as an additional $1.6 million from the tax digest and with some available fund balance) to provide a one-time bridge to restore prior-year funding levels for the coming year. One commissioner called the 35% reduction "astronomical" and said restoring the funds one time would allow the county to pursue school-district partnerships and private donations for sustained support.
Staff cautioned that one-time fund-balance allocations are not a reliable recurring revenue source but confirmed that the items on the amendment list have identified funding for the coming fiscal year. No formal vote to restore the Neighborhood Leaders funding was recorded in this session; commissioners agreed to include the item in the presented amendment package and to continue planning discussions between budget cycles.
The commission adjourned without taking a final vote on the full amended budget at this session.
Ending: The commission said it will present the recommended budget (with the commissioners' suggested amendments) at a forthcoming meeting where members can introduce additional adjustments; staff agreed to provide clearer budget pages and a one-page extract for enterprise funds and the Neighborhood Leaders line-item.
