Alachua County names six members to new Children's Services Advisory Board

The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners on June 28 appointed six residents to a new Children's Services Advisory Board that will advise the commission on spending and policies for county funds targeting prenatal‑to‑age‑5 programs.

Commissioners voted to appoint Nancy Hart, Thomas Logan and Elizabeth Patton to full terms ending in December 2019 and selected Andy Sherrard and Esther Tibbs for partial terms through 2018; Patricia Snyder was named alternate. The appointments followed a public application process in which roughly three dozen candidates presented brief statements about their experience and priorities for early‑childhood services.

Dr. Nancy Hart, a professor emerita who spoke during the application period, urged the commission to commit to a durable funding stream for early childhood programs. "We need to create systems that have the capacity to meet the needs of all working mothers," Hart said in her remarks, arguing that stable funding would reduce future costs for special education and juvenile services.

County manager and staff told the board they have set aside $1,250,000 in the budget for children's services; commissioners said they expect the advisory board to recommend how that money — and other grants or resources — should be allocated. The managers and the county attorney also reminded appointees about open‑meeting (sunshine) rules and noted that county staff will poll newly selected members to schedule an inaugural meeting.

The board's action was taken by voice vote after commissioners tallied their choices at the dais and appointed the candidates by majority. The commission directed staff to provide onboarding materials and to coordinate the group's first organizational session.

The advisory board is one component in a broader county effort to build early‑childhood capacity and to structure spending so that investments produce measurable outcomes in school readiness and family stability.