The governing board of the Children’s Services Council of Leon County holds its monthly meeting tonight. On the agenda: a 2024 year in review and a look ahead to the future. The conversation follows the council’s rejection of a proposal that could have seen the city and county shift more of their social service responsibilities to the agency.
Leon’s Children’s Services Council spent nearly $7 million on funding for local agencies and programs that support kids. That’s according to the agency’s own reporting. Among the projects funded: summer programs for children and other programs that support struggling families.
The CSC has a total budget of a little more than $9 million. A year ago, Leon County Government eyed the CSC’s funding and proposed shifting some of the nonprofits it serves to the CSC. The CSC's board was and remains skeptical, and in its December meeting, the board’s attorney quashed the idea.
“The fact that the Legislature provided that power with respect to Children’s Services Councils alone and did not enumerate the Children’s Services Councils could also enter into such joint funding agreements with cities and counties leads me to conclude that the Legislature did not intend for the Children’s Services Councils to have that power,” said CSC attorney Chris Roe.
At tonight’s meeting, they’ll discuss the CSC’s 2024 Annual Report to Leon County Government, which shows the council served more than 5,400 participants and provided nearly 58,000 meals, while investing millions in early learning, youth development and family support.
The CSC will also discuss the 10th Anniversary Summit on Children, which they’ll co-host with Whole Child Leon on Feb. 18th.
