Columbus, Georgia

Agenda Item #_______



Columbus Consolidated Government



Council Meeting



June 18, 2002



Agenda Report #_______





TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL



SUBJECT: MUSCOGEE COUNTY GELI COLLABORATIVE



INITIATED BY: CITY MANAGER



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

Muscogee County GELI Collaborative and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by

like amount. And, if the agreement between the Positive Parenting Program and

the Muscogee County GELI Collaborative is terminated, the balance of the

$30,000 not spent for the Georgia Early Learning Initiative project will be

returned to the Muscogee County GELI Collaborative.



Background: Funds have been made available from a portion of the Georgia Early

Learning Initiative (GELI) funds through the Muscogee County GELI

Collaborative. Training and technical assistance projects are funded by the

GELI 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 state-wide 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, 2002 and ends June 30, 2003.



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

component of the Positive Parenting Program, which will serve as a non-required

match. 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 GELI Collaborative from funds allocated by the Georgia

Legislature and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by a like amount.



















































A RESOLUTION



No. ___________



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

MUSCOGEE COUNTY GELI (Georgia Early Learning Initiative) 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 GELI

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, the Positive Parenting Program funding will serve as the

match; and,



WHEREAS, if either the Muscogee County GELI 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

Georgia Early Learning Initiative project will be returned to the Muscogee

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



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



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

GELI Collaborative for $30,000 to fund a training and technical assistance

program to educate child care providers and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund

by a like amount.



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

held the _________ day of June, 2002 and adopted at said meeting by the

affirmative vote of ________ members of said Council.





Councilor Allen voting _____________

Councilor Henderson voting _____________

Councilor Hunter voting _____________

Councilor Poydasheff voting _____________

Councilor McDaniel voting _____________

Councilor Rodgers voting _____________

Councilor Smith voting _____________

Councilor Suber voting _____________

Councilor Turner voting _____________

Council Woodson voting _____________





_______________________________ __________________________



Tiny B. Washington, Clerk Bobby G. Peters, Mayor