DWI program coordinator warns of grant cuts and asks county for evaluator and outreach funding

The Roosevelt County DWI program coordinator told commissioners that the program faces substantial funding cuts for FY27 and asked the board to consider short-term county support to sustain prevention, outreach and evaluation work.

"We were awarded 160,000 in grant, and then we did a special fall application and got another 1,300," the coordinator (S10) said of FY26, but added that FY27 looks very different: distribution funds dropped to about $106,748 and the grant award fell to $76,622. She said the grant council gave a "medium" rating and complained that reviewers had not engaged with the application: "I asked, didn't any of you read my application? And they all said no."

The coordinator outlined specific requests and needs. She asked the county to consider a $19,999 contract with Shannon Morrison to provide external evaluation and analysis of program outcomes and said she would seek about $11,000 for a media/social outreach agreement (JB Media) to maintain youth-focused messaging through local schools and the public library. She also described past spending on advertising and law-enforcement overtime, and said steep cuts will force program adjustments: "I dropped anything to do with prevention work because her current contract's for 25,000. So it's not even half next year."

Commissioners and staff noted that some contingency funds had been set aside in the county budget process and that staff would look for grant-compatible lines. The coordinator said she would present a formal letter and asked commissioners not to delay any potential hiring for transition; she proposed using ~$4,000 in the budget to hire someone temporarily in February or March to train a successor and preserve institutional knowledge.

No formal action was taken at the meeting; staff said they would review whether the county can cover evaluator or outreach contracts and how those commitments would be entered into the FY27 draft budget.