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ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—The Boys and Girls Club of Rockdale received the community support—and the funding – it needed from the Board of Commissioners (BOC) on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
In a 2-1 vote, the BOC approved a one-year, $100,000 contract for the Boys and Girls Club to provide mentoring services to youths enrolled in the club. The vote followed several people who expressed during public comments that the club is a lifeline for many families in the community, providing after-school care, activities and mentoring and other resources. The crowd of supporters applauded the BOC for its approval.
Chair JaNice Van Ness cast the dissenting vote, saying that while she believes in the positive impact the club has had in the community, she did not want to set a precedent by providing county funds to the Boys and Girls Club of Rockdale.
“…Our current ordinance states that we do not fund nonprofits, except the ones that are mandated by state law, which is the Community Resource Network and Michael Hutchinson’s group—the Coalition (Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families). So, I have great concerns about a pattern that could start. I know that I have heard from a number of other agencies in the community that wish that they had had an opportunity to speak. Some represent children’s programs. Some represent other nonprofits like Prevent child abuse Rockdale and number of other organizations that really need support.
The Boys and Girls Club of Rockdale originally was approved for $125,000 annually for 2 years under the previous administration in December 2024. However, with the changing of the guard and a new administration under Van Ness in January, a change order for a reduction to $100,000 in funding was placed on the BOC’s Feb. 25 agenda.
Rockdale County government has already paid $31,250 of the contract, meaning $68,750 would remain to be paid out to the Boys and Girls Club by the end of 2025, county officials said on Tuesday. That would leave the
