Title
FY2025 Budget Ordinance Amendment Related to Katie Blessing Center Restricted Contingency
Action
ACTION:
Amend the Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 Budget Ordinance as set forth in the redline document attached as Exhibit A, to authorize release of $2,000,000 from restricted funding for the Katie Blessing Center upon execution of an agreement with the County for bed space and service capacity for youth in Mecklenburg County custody
Staff Contact: Dr. Cotrane Penn, Division Director of Clinical and Contractual Services
Adrian Cox, Budget Director
Presentation: Yes
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
On June 4, 2024, the Board of Commissioners adopted the FY2025 Budget Ordinance. The FY2025 Budget appropriated funding of $2,000,000 to support the Katie Blessing Center capital campaign, contingent upon the following restrictions adopted in Section 31 of the budget ordinance:
That there is a contingency allocation of $2,000,000 for the Katie Blessing Center for Youth Behavioral Health, however, before any portion of the $2,000,000 contribution is expended, the Board must approve such appropriation following confirmation that the facility’s capital campaign is complete, and that an agreement has been reached between the County and the Katie Blessing Foundation which guarantees sufficient beds will be reserved at the facility for children referred by Mecklenburg County effective through the life of the facility.
The requirements to release the funding were not met in FY2025, and on June 17, 2025, the Board carried the funding forward to FY2026, re-appropriating the funds.
The Foundation’s capital campaign for the first phase of the center is complete, and County staff have been in negotiations with the Foundation to reach an agreement to provide beds for children referred by the County. However, staff with the Katie Blessing Foundation have indicated that the current restrictions on the capital contribution to make beds available for the life of the...
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