RPC approves Head Start waiver and carryover to support Urbana kitchen remodel and county programs

Brandy, a Head Start program staff member, asked the Regional Planning Commission to approve a one-time partial non-federal share waiver to the Office of Head Start for the grant year Sept. 1, 2025–Feb. 28, 2026, citing staffing vacancies and lower-than-expected enrollment that make meeting the federal 20% match difficult. She said the request seeks $280,223 for an Early Head Start expansion and $705,923 for Head Start and Early Head Start grants serving Iroquois and Vermilion counties.

The waiver request, Summers moved and Mayor Page seconded, prompted commissioners to ask about the review process. Brandy said waivers require documentation and do go through a review; in many cases the Office of Head Start has previously accepted similar requests made during and after the COVID period. Commissioners approved the motion on a voice vote.

On a related item, Brandy asked the commission to approve a carryover of startup funds for a Champaign County Head Start/Early Head Start award. Because the grant was issued late, staff were unable to close the Urbana center over the summer as planned to complete the kitchen remodel. She said the Office of Head Start agreed carrying the funds forward would be permissible. The requested carryover total is $246,975, mainly for a commercial oven hood and fire suppression system, flooring, storage and related plumbing and electrical work. Miss Scott moved the carryover; the motion carried by voice vote.

Why it matters: The waiver is intended to preserve federal Head Start funding and allow programs to continue while the agency completes recruitment and fills vacancies, and the carryover preserves a facility upgrade that staff say will allow Urbana Head Start to operate a full cooking kitchen without closing during peak service periods.

The commission did not record a roll-call tally; minutes show both motions passed by voice vote. Staff said they will continue to pursue additional in-kind match and expect some of the projected amounts to change as enrollment and staffing improve. The commission moved on to subsequent agenda items after the votes.