On April 3rd, the Leon County Children’s Services Council (CSC) Finance and Budget Committee held a meeting and discussed the staffing allocations for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Committee member Paul Mitchell noted that at the March 23rd meeting the CSC Governing Council granted one full time position requested by the Executive Director and asked the budget committee to prepare a proposed budget for the other two positions. It was determined that two additioal positions would be contract positions so that the CSC wouldn’t be required to pay for health and retirement benefits.
Mr. Mitchell stated, “There may be someone out there who’s spouse already gets benefits, and this is an attractive position.” He went on to say the Early Learning Coalition has 252 programs that they monitor, and they have 2 quality assurance people, both starting out $39,000 a year, compared to the CSC which is offering $55,000 for the same position.
The committee discussed if the money given to the executive director would bet a set amount or a percentage of CSC’s whole budget. Dr. Glenn, Ms. Cummings, and Executive director Ms. Green all favored a percentage, while Chair Paul Mitchell wanted the budget for the extra positions to be a set amount.
Dr. Glenn stated, “I want to get a good sense of where we are right now, because given everything in the press and the fact that there’s a lot of attention on us, what I don’t want Mr. Mitchell, is for us to roll out all these programs, … and then it’s not managed appropriately.” She went on to say that she wants to make sure Ms. Green has what she needs to do her job and to not be so tight that there are issues down the line.
The Committee approved a motion to recommend to the CSC Council that the CSC allocate funds for five FTE’s and to also allocate $294,000 for contract services for Ms. Green to use at her discretion. The contract services budget must include legal and accounting services.
The CSC will consider this recommendation at their next meeting on April 10th.
With the economy the way it is and those of us who own property and pay taxes are facing increases in insurance rates, among other things.
Is there a way to defund the CSC?
I am willing to volunteer my time to get a petition signed to revote to revoke this bureaucratic waste of taxpayer money.
Don’t forget that the CSC’s own org chart shows no connection/link from the taxpayers/citizens (and our money) to the CSC Board, nor from the CSC Board to the CSC Director. It’s not a type-o… but you can be sure there will be lots of type-o’s (insert wink here) in the CSC accounting ledger.
All it is is a clearing house for existing nonprofits to apply for city grants. It’s hiring a company to teach what all non profits already know and then acts as a shield for the county commission. These are the people who should be responsible for budgeting and allocating tax payer dollars.
What a waste of money.
To add further content on the CSC it is a money laundering Institution and slush fund Clearing House for Democratic Party candidates.
John Dailey’s wife wrote a letter of recommendation for Ceka Rose Green to be the director of the CSC. She did not make the top list of candidates for this position however the top candidate suddenly dropped out and Cecka Rose Green became the director. She was heavily involved in the Gillum campaign where her two co-workers on that campaign have recently been indicted on 23 counts of fraud for misusing campaign funds. She also (mis)directed funds to the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce for $100,000. Rose Green provides no accounting for her expenditures nor does she track progress. This total institution is a sham and is a waste of taxpayer dollars to facilitate a few political candidates.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CSC
The idea of a CSC was initiated by non-other than John Dailey back when he was on the County Commission. The idea didn’t gain much traction at the county level and the commission voted to “kick the can down the road” and try to get it on the ballet for a citizen’s vote at one of the future elections.
By then, Dailey had moved on to become the city Major and he once again started “beating the drum” for a vote on a CSC in Tallahassee. It was sold as a program to use taxpayer money to improve the readiness of preschool children for entry into the education system.
It made the ballet and many people blindly voted for it because the campaign-slogan at the time was, ” You wouldn’t vote against something that’s for the little children, would you?” In liberal Tallahassee that’s almost a guarantee it will pass. Sure enough, it received a big vote of support and we have what we have today.
Better keep an eye on what the tax money is actually being used for. Most is certainly not for the initial intent.
Shut It Down!!
The CSC is a huge waste of Tax Dollars and this is just MORE Proof. Bryan Desloge was RIGHT and I am glad I Voted NO on it.