Commissioners approve grant seeking resolutions

Falls County Commissioners voted to pursue the renewal of three separate grants for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal year during a meeting Feb. 10.

Resolutions concerning the submission of grants for Youth Victims Services and Youth Intervention Services were approved for fiscal year 2021.

According the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, the mission of victims services is “to provide victims of juvenile crime their rights under the law, ensuring that they are informed, involved, and treated with dignity, fairness, and respect.”

The resolution for Grant #1440901, for Youth Victims Services, states that the Commissioner’s Court agrees to provide matching funds as required by the Victims of Crime Act Formula grant application, but the resolution for grant #3756002, for Victims Intervention Services does not include that stipulation.

Youth Intervention Services are focused on stopping bad outcomes before they happen. They help to prevent child abuse/ neglect, juvenile delinquency, runaway youth, and truancy.

The resolution for approving grant application #2890504, for Victims Assistance – General Direct Services includes the same contingencies as the Youth Victims resolution, but was resolved to be operated for both the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years. General Direct Services include but are not limited to counseling, crisis intervention, assistance with Crime Victims’ Compensation, legal assistance, victim advocacy, and information and referral.

All three resolutions also dictate that if funds are found to be misused, the Falls County Commissioners will be held responsible for returning the granted funds to the Office of the Governor in full and that Falls County Judge Jay Elliot is designated as the grantee’s authorized official.

Separate motions were made to pass each resolution, all of them carrying unanimously.

During their meeting on Feb. 24, commissioners also approved a resolution concerning grant application #3631803 for the Special Crimes Investigator Project for FY 20-21. This will be the third year that Falls County has participated as apart of this program.

The motion to approved was made by Commissioner Nita Wubker, seconded by Jason Willberg, and passed unanimously as well.