Council debates nutrition center funding and grant tradeoffs as budget pressures grow

Councilmembers raised concerns about the city’s nutrition program amid the FY27 budget review, asking staff for more detail on funding sources and whether additional county grants should be pursued.

Pacheco (nutrition center staff) and other department leads told council that the nutrition center has seen increased demand and that some county grants require countywide service, which could expand demand beyond the city’s capacity. Staff said the home‑meal‑delivery grant cycle had changed and that the city lost a prior reimbursement stream when department leadership changed, reducing county support in FY25 compared with FY24.

Councilmembers urged staff to apply for grants where appropriate but also to analyze whether grants’ service requirements would be cost‑prohibitive. One councilmember suggested narrowing program eligibility to city residents during the current crisis, at least temporarily, while another said the city should apply for funding and then decide whether to accept the strings attached.

Staff committed to present options and scenarios at the next workshop, including whether to pursue county grants and how to prioritize city residents versus broader eligibility. No new program decisions were made at the meeting.