Lacey finalizes permanent Human Services Commission 

The Lacey City Council unanimously voted to establish a permanent Human Services Commission during its public meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3. 

The new commission will provide recommendations on needs, policies, programs and funding allocations, including the city's human services grant program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. 

“We have our human services grant program with an initial allocation of $300,000, and we also have our CDBG allocation, which will be becoming an entitlement community in 2025, with an estimated $304,850,” Lacey Human Services Coordinator Michelle Chavez said.

“There could be other grant funding coming down the pike for human services that we're unaware of. So part of having a Human Services Commission would allow us to oversee both these two initial pots of money and any potential future human service pots of money that come our way,” Chavez added. 

The commission will replace the current human services work group, which has been meeting since the summer to review grant applications and make recommendations to the city council.  

Chavez added that creating a permanent Human Services advisory board, known as the Human Services Commission, would provide the council with program and funding recommendations. 

“We looked at several different jurisdictions, who have both a human services grant program that's in their general fund and also has a CDBG local allocation, and of the five different jurisdictions, they all had some type of oversight board,” Chavez noted. 

According to the staff report, jurisdictions frequently use a permanent human services advisory group to provide opportunities for public participation. 

The new Human Services Commission will be established through Ordinance 1667, which the council passed unanimously.  

The city plans to open the application period for the commission in January 2025, including a seat for a youth council representative.