Leon County residents can now apply to the local Children's Services Council. Voters approved the group on election day in a referendum. Now the county commission is responsible for vetting potential members. County Commission Chairman Rick Minor says he's looking for two things from council members:
"Committed to accountability and transparency of the CSC. Since these are public dollars, we want to make sure that those public dollars are going to be used in [a] way that will bring the greatest return on that investment for our kids. And then number two, I'm going to be looking for people that have a demonstrated commitment to the betterment of children," Minor says.
The county will forward recommendations for 15 potential members to Governor Ron DeSantis, who will then select five finalists. They'll join five other members on the board, including a county commissioner. Minor says he hopes to fill that spot.
"I've served on the planning committee that helped establish a lot of this prior to the vote. So, I'm interested in working on this. I think it's a very important issue and program that will have a lasting effect on the kids in this county. So, if the rest of the board chooses to select me, I'd be honored," Minor says.
Applications must be turned in electronically to the county's website by January 13, 2021.
