Committee recommends three programs for city budget after full grant review

The Arts, Recreation & Culture Committee of Atlantic Beach said it had finished reviewing grant applicants and recommended three programs for inclusion in the city budget after an all-day review on Aug. 26.

"I just wanna get on the record a very, very huge thank you to the entire committee for dedicating, August 26, all day to, to getting this work done," said Hillary Hickam. Committee members said their review was productive and that two applicants received full awards while most others were allocated partial funds to remain within the city's budget constraints. "We went through all of the applicants," a committee member said, noting an emphasis on preserving several programs as continuous, community 'staples' that the committee wants funded in perpetuity.

Staff said the committee will forward the three recommended programs to the city commission and outlined the timeline: the commission holds an initial budget hearing Monday the 14th and a final approval hearing on Sept. 28; the fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and the committee will return in mid-October with specifics and a resolution to disperse the grants. "We'll make the recommendation to the commission in mid October," staff said.

Why it matters: the committee prioritized ongoing community programs over one-off awards and structured funding to keep services operating while allowing smaller awards to newer applicants. The commission's final budget action on Sept. 28 will determine which programs receive city funding for the coming fiscal year.