By Tom St. Myer
With a dwindling staff and a strategic plan yet to be finalized, the Escambia Children’s Trust board still awarded over $2 million in taxpayer money to mental health support service providers on Tuesday night.
Twin Oaks Juvenile Development Inc. topped the providers by being awarded a grant for $1,075,474. New World Believers followed at $555,590. Lamplighters Inc. ($218,902), Boys & Girls Club of the Emerald Coast ($102,859) and Youth Left Behind Corp ($87,454.80) rounded out the recipients.
“The children in our community are hurting so much. I feel like this is one of those areas where we needed to get started yesterday rather than tomorrow,” board member Patty Hightower said.
The board awarded an additional $238,875 in a matching grant to the Early Learning Coalition. The grant is for school vouchers.
Board member Lumon May recommended postponing the awarding of the grants, but his motion failed. May then voted in favor of awarding the grants.
“I’m saying we have some house cleaning measures we need in place,” May said. “We have to stabilize the organization because it’s taxpayer dollars.”
Krupa Helps Out
The awarded grants come on the heels of Dr. Kimberly Krupa submitting a letter of resignation, effective October 13. Krupa serves as director of programs and performance. She spoke at the meeting and promised to stay on with the Trust until her replacement is hired to ensure the grant process operates smoothly.
“I would like to step down but I’m willing to serve in the interim,” Krupa said. “I’m not going anywhere. I don’t have another job. I just want to take a step back.”
Krupa submitted her letter of resignation less than a month after former executive director Tammy Greer resigned from her position. As second-in-command, Krupa stood to be the interim executive director, but she told board member Stephanie White that she preferred to remain in her current position.
Tammy Abrams is serving as the interim executive director and oversees finance and operations. The board voted Tuesday in favor of posting an executive director job description immediately, requiring resumes within 30 days and selecting a search committee to recommend 10 candidates.
The $2-plus million awarded Tuesday raises the total awarded by the Trust since Oct. 1 to almost $10 million.
Commissioner May shared his frustrations with the Trust board on WCOA this morning.
