On November 28th, the Leon County Commission held a workshop related to the County’s funding of human services through the Community Services Partnership (CHSP) and tabled the recommendation that would shift certain funding responsibilities to the Children’s Services Council (CSC).
The agenda for the workshop recommended authorizing the County Administrator to amend the CHSP Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Tallahassee to realign current human service categories. It proposed that children and family services be removed from the CHSP categories all-together, making the children and family services primarily funded by the CSC. It also proposed that the funding currently going towards children and family services would be directed towards emergency homeless shelters.
Several commissioners noted their concern with CHSP and the CSC having two different processes for their funding.
Commissioner Rick Minor explained that currently the CSC does not provide supplemental funding to organizations. He continued, saying there is approximately 34 programs that may have trouble being funded by the CSC due to current CSC guidelines. Additionally, Minor explained that while he is not against the item, he would like for more conversations to be had before any decision is made.
Leon County Commissioner O’Keefe noted that “Florida Statute 125.901(8) regarding CSC and our Ordinance from 2018 specifically says that CSC funds shall support improvements, not be used as substitute for existing resources.” O’Keefe pointed to an example of the “Florida lottery education game”, stating, “The voters voted in this tax to say we want new money for children and family and then it goes in and the County is saying well we’re going to stop funding $400,000 of it because the CSC can, and to me that looks like replacing. Is that allowed?”
The County Attorney replied saying that the CSC attorney has reviewed the specific provision in the Florida Statute and has determined there would be no violation of Florida Law. Additionally, O’Keefe claimed the recommendation “sends the wrong message” and stated, “We ask the voters to add a sales tax for more and we start chipping away and replacing elsewhere, which is how I see this.”
Commissioner Brian Welch said he shared the same concern with Commissioner Minor and noted they had received emails from community human service partners who voiced their concern over the proposed realignment. Welch claimed there are too many unanswered questions to move forward with the realignment, comparing the proposal to launching a boat when you don’t know where the holes are. Additionally, Welch stated, “I think it’s crucial if we’re going to be re-designing a community human service partnership, that we have input from our human service partners.”
Commissioner Proctor made a motion to table the MOU amendment, have staff bring back more information and to direct staff to reach out the non-profits currently being funded by the CHSP to give them an opportunity to respond in writing on the issue. The motion passed unanimously.
During the workshop, the Commission unanimously approved staff recommendation to create a subcategory in the Community Human Services Partnership Homeless Services Category for the line-item funding of emergency homeless shelters services.
The Commission unanimously approved staff recommendation establishing an annual agency line-item funding to 2-1-1 Big Bend for the 24-hour Helpline and Lyft Transportation Program, and changed the funding for this item to $75,000 instead of $60,000 to allow the program to accommodate more rides.
Finally, the Commission unanimously approved staff recommendation to direct staff to evaluate the feasibility of a Community Information Exchange in partnership with the 2-1-1 Big Bend, the City of Tallahassee, Children Services Council of Leon County, United Way of the Big Bend and other local stakeholders.
Leon County Commission Tables Shifting Children Services Funding to CSC added by Tristyn Leigh on
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CSC is a sham that goes unaccountable and funnels money into political campaigns via the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce.
Where is the report that shows where that $100,000 from the CSC to the Chamber of Commerce went?
Monroe corridor improvements?
Reducing crime?
Blue Print fiasco.
They all get a big zero for job performance.
I wish I was wrong but the CSC is as embedded as a tick that’s been on a dog for years and with no clear results measure.
It seems like the commission is on a suicide mission to give Ceka Rose-Green as much of our moola to waste as they can muster. Why is that? She doesn’t actually do anything outside of evaluating non-profits for free money. And she has a very well paid staff that does all that work for her. She has no real deliverables that measures success or failure yet they keep trying to give her more money and power.
Kinda makes you wonder…
P.S. It’s all a well-orchestrated charade to separate us from our tax dollars without them ever doing anything for it outside of renting a lease space and some office furniture. The children will get crumbs from all the money changing hands, that’s it.
Hah! We got the Leon County version of John Fetterman. embarrassment D5
The commission may be trying to get out ahead of a massive Black defection from the failed National Democratic Party which likely will trickle down to make all the money currently being funneled to local Black Reverend’s and other community organizers to deliver the Black Democratic vote a near future waste of money due to little returns on our Democratic local politicians previous under the table investments to our local Black leaders.
“Times are a changing and how we fund getting our local partners to keep us in power must become nimble enough to change with the times”. “Ladies and Gentlemen our phoney baloney jobs are on the line if we don’t keep a tight secret control over this horn of plenty public funding”.
If you remember, the CSC ran out of money this Year and was demanding to you raise Property Taxes for them. The County Commission needs to find a way to over see the CSC Spending.
So, you’re saying there are approximately 34 programs for Children? WOW, most need to go, Pick a few good ones, if there is any, and stop funding the others. Give a little more to the chosen few and tell them to step it up, make better progress and be able to prove it each year to keep the funding.