Commissioners direct worksheet to shape school barber-voucher pilot

At an informal Jan. 15 meeting, the Middletown Youth Services Commission voted to develop a written worksheet to outline a proposed barber-voucher pilot for middle and high school students, aiming to have a ready plan before the commission seeks funding or council action.

Commissioner Sanji, who moved for the worksheet, said the group needed a clear, written blueprint: "You gotta have it in black and white," and recommended that members return to the next meeting with component notes and assignments. Chair Tony seconded the motion and said he would help the commission move the plan onto the City Council agenda once the worksheet is complete.

The discussion centered on operational details. Commissioners debated whether vouchers should be limited to a preselected list of barbers or be usable at students' regular, locally trusted barbers. Tony warned that vouchers must be trackable and that billing needs structure so invoices could be managed: "The bills gotta get paid," he said, stressing a need for a fiduciary arrangement and a funding plan before launch.

Commissioners raised additional requirements and constraints: participating barbers must be licensed and insured; counselors or school staff would identify eligible students; program administrators must decide how vouchers are redeemed and recorded so the city can verify use. Commissioners discussed recruiting barbers willing to accept vouchers at a reduced rate or as in-kind contributions but acknowledged that volunteers alone might not be sufficient.

Members also sketched a timeline for the effort: they aim to have the program ready to launch with the 2025–26 school year and identified August 2025 as a target for initial implementation if the worksheet and funding plans are in place. Commissioners noted that the pilot would require an outline of who it will serve, how many students are expected (ballpark estimates ranged to a few hundred), and where funding would come from before the Council would be asked for resources.

The commission assigned members to produce worksheet notes and to collect barber interest forms or written responses when in-person participation is not possible. The commission will revisit the worksheet and related outreach at its next meeting on Feb. 19.