(PENSACOLA) --- The Escambia Children's Trust faced scrutiny for past mismanagement at last week's Pensacola City Council meeting.
And that doesn't even come from me.
My AI-assistant's coverage of the March 12 meeting reports "even as the council approved an exemption for TIF (Tax Increment Financing) payments, there were concerns raised about the city effectively taking over the Trust's responsibilities."
For those who doubt AI, the above truth proves that even a robot can pick up questionable politics.
What did I see in real life from attending the meeting?
The same.
(Photo: Resident Tori Woods at Thursday, March 13 Pensacola City Council meeting)
Tori Woods let officials know her stance on the matter at the meeting and spoke to OpGov.News after.
"As a concerned resident of Escambia County, I attended the City Council meeting to better understand the City’s position regarding the $1.8 million it believes it is owed," Woods said. "My concern stems from the fact that the City has already received a grant from the Escambia County Children’s Trust in a nearly equivalent amount."
Woods explained for the past three years, the Children’s Trust has worked in partnership with the City of Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department to support programs that benefit children and families across both the city and the county.
"Given this existing funding, it raises concerns about the potential for duplicative funding if the City both retains the grant and seeks additional funds, while still expecting the Trust to continue supporting after-school programming," Woods said.
Woods continued, noting, "It is also important to recognize that while the City has previously offered after-school programs, those programs were not free and did not provide the same level of access and opportunity that the Children’s Trust currently offers to families at no cost."
"These programs have expanded opportunities for children to participate in activities they may not otherwise be able to access," Woods said.
Lastly, Woods said her primary concern is how the additional $1.8 million would be allocated, particularly whether it would be used to support the same free after-school programming currently funded by the Children’s Trust.
"Additionally, with the current grant agreement set to expire in May, clarity on future funding and program sustainability is our goal," Woods said.
Councilwoman Teniade' Broughton cited Woods' concerns, asking which programs the money was funding.
(Photo: Councilwoman Teniade' Broughton at Thursday, March 13 Pensacola City Council meeting)
According to a long-winded answer from Reeves that didn't directly mention any specific program, the Trust's legal counsel said the funds will support existing Parks and Recreation summer programs open to all ages.
But all the answers were not good enough for Councilman Charles Bare.
"It appears to me that we're actually taking on the job of that Children's Trust," Bare said. "Where we're going to be the ones responsible with these dollars to do the things Children's Trust should be doing, so I'm like, why do we really need the Children's Trust?"
(Photo: Councilman Charles Bare at Thursday, March 13 Pensacola City Council meeting)
"I didn't vote for it, and I didn't support it," Bare said, adding. "I see it as another layer of possible things to go wrong, which we've seen recently can happen."
If it all goes wrong, Bare made it clear he is Pontius Pilate, washing his hands of it all.
"I know there's a push not to put money into staffing and admin costs, but I'm telling you, if you do it wrong, you're going to lose trust," Bare said. "There's going to be a referendum, which I'm hopeful there is, because I think people need to vote on this, because I don't think they've gotten what they want."
(Photo: Council President Allison Patton at Thursday, March 13 Pensacola City Council meeting)
Bare's comments brought legal counsel back up to the podium to explain some of his concerns, but that made no difference, leaving Councilwoman Allison Patton to end the discussion, noting she supports the program and will vote for it again.
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