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Community violence intervention groups praise ARPA support in public comments
Summary
Multiple public commenters and program leaders told commissioners ARPA-funded community violence intervention (CVI) work produced measurable reductions in shootings in parts of Washtenaw County and urged continued or renewed funding to maintain services and outreach.
At the start of the board’s public-comment period, several representatives of locally funded community violence intervention programs thanked the Board of Commissioners for ARPA support and urged continued investment.
Billy Ray Cole, director of Supreme Felons Incorporated, described an 18-person staff operating four program pillars—reentry, senior support, youth mentorship and neighborhood watch—and referred commissioners to the county’s community-priority fund impact evaluation for evidence of results. Multiple residents and program staff described a drop in violence when outreach teams were funded and warned services waned after funds ran out. “We did exactly what we said we were gonna do and more,” a program representative said while urging the board to consider sustained support.
Commissioners acknowledged the public comments: Somerville and others thanked program staff; Beaman noted the importance of hearing direct impact stories; Light asked staff to track referrals for refugee services in related cases. Several commissioners said they would follow up through staff or working sessions to discuss funding continuity and program evaluation.
