Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item #__5__



Columbus Consolidated Government

Council Meeting

July 1, 2003



Agenda Report #__82__



TO: Mayor and City Council



SUBJECT: Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative



INITIATED BY: Cooperative Extenision Services

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Recommendation: Authorize the Mayor to accept a grant of $30,000 from the

Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative and adjust the Multi-Governmental

Fund by the grant amount. And, if the agreement between the Positive Parenting

Program and the Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative is terminated, the

balance of the $30,000 not spent for the Smart Start project will be returned

to the Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative.



Background: Funds have been made available from a portion of the Smart Start

Georgia funds through the Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative. Training

and technical assistance projects are funded by the Muscogee County Smart Start

Collaborative to increase the number of child care providers who understand

child development and use developmentally appropriate practices, in order to

improve the quality of early childhood education programs. This program will

offer training, technical assistance and resources (educational materials), to

enable them to increase the quality of child care they provide to children age

birth through three years. This project is congruent with research on early

brain development.



Analysis: This grant will expand the capacity to deliver training and technical

assistance with no cost to the participants who are responsible for the care of

children (age birth to three years), yet are paid minimum wage. The University

of Georgia will provide continuing education units and maintain transcripts for

participants for advanced training. All other participants will have their

transcripts maintained through the statewide child care provider training

registry. The Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Georgia is a

recognized leader in delivery of high quality trainings for and technical

assistance to child care providers and, as a collaborator with others who

deliver training to increase capacity and resources available. The number of

infants and toddlers who are in childcare is increasing; high quality programs

have a low ratio of young children to provider; hence, the high demand for

well-trained caregivers of children age birth through three years. This

project will enable: child care providers who increase their education levels

to receive a salary supplement through Incentives; and, child care centers and

homes to receive increased funding through tiered reimbursement for subsidized

children when they meet new high quality standards. All transactions will be

conducted through the Local Government Finance System. The grant period begins

July 1, 2003 and ends June 30, 2004.



Financial Considerations: The grant is for $30,000 and will become another

component of the Positive Parenting Program. Preference is given to applicants

that have investments from at least one other source in their community.



Legal Considerations: The applicant (Positive Parenting Program) is eligible to

receive these funds.



Recommendation/Action: Authorize the Mayor to accept the $30,000 grant from the

Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative from funds allocated by the Georgia

Legislature and adjust the Multi-Governmental Fund by the grant amount.

















A RESOLUTION



No. ___________



A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ACCEPT MATCHING GRANT FUNDS FROM THE

MUSCOGEE COUNTY SMART START COLLABORATIVE c/o UNITED WAY OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE

VALLEY, INC., OF $30,000 TO FUND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMING

TO EDUCATE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS AND TO AMMEND THE MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY A

LIKE AMOUNT.



WHEREAS, funds have been made available from the Muscogee County Smart

Start Collaborative for the purpose of improving the quality of child care; and,



WHEREAS, Columbus is eligible for $30,000; and,



WHEREAS, the need to increase the number of child care providers that

understand child development and use developmentally appropriate practices is

critical; and,



WHEREAS, if either the Muscogee County Smart Start Collaborative or the

Positive Parenting Program decide to terminate their agreement for child care

training and technical assistance, the balance of the $30,000 not spent for the

Smart Start Georgia project, will be returned to the Muscogee County Smart

Start Collaborative c/o United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.



NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES AS

FOLLOWS:



That the Mayor is authorized to accept a grant from the Muscogee County

Smart Start Collaborative for $30,000 to fund a training and technical

assistance program to educate child care providers and adjust the

Multi-Governmental Fund.



Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia,

held the _________ day of July, 2003 and adopted at said meeting by the

affirmative vote of ________ members of said Council.





Councilor Allen voting _____________

Councilor Anthony voting _____________

Councilor Davis voting _____________

Councilor Henderson voting _____________

Councilor Hunter voting _____________

Councilor McDaniel voting _____________

Councilor Turner Pugh voting _____________

Councilor Rodgers voting _____________

Councilor Suber voting _____________

Councilor Woodson voting _____________





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Tiny B. Washington, Clerk Robert Poydasheff, Mayor