Kyle votes to support Women’s Center

KYLE — At its meeting on Tuesday, March 7, Kyle City Council voted to take the first step in providing funds to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) in an effort to pay them for services used by the city.

In a 7-0 vote, council directed staff to draft a service agreement to pay the organization $15,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year. Approximately 20% of the clients served at the HCWC are community members of Kyle, according to statistics provided during the meeting.

“I feel like there are great organizations, then there are really remarkable ones like the Hays Caldwell Women’s Center,” said council member Daniela Parsley, who sponsored the agenda item along with council member Bear Heiser. “Although I always knew that you guys did amazing work and provided fantastic help for [families in need], seeing the facilities and seeing face-to-face the females that live in here … they find a home and family with you guys and that’s really wonderful.”

Previously, the city of Kyle paid organizations through a $30,000 community grant program.

“The city of Kyle used to give some funding to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center and we are no longer doing that,” Parsley said. “We haven’t been doing this for years and we are utilizing their services basically daily.”

The council believed that there should be no issue finding money in the general fund amounting to $15,000, with the possibility to increase in the next fiscal year. While there was talk of a donation, council ultimately decided that a service agreement was the best route.

Despite the unanimous agreement that the organization needs to be funded, there were some concerns about where the money would exactly be going.

Melissa Rodriguez, chief executive officer of HCWC, eased these worries with the assurance that they regularly provide quarterly reports of monetary usage.

“[Accountability] is something that we’re able to provide …. We do quarterly reports for other cities whenever that is required. We are happy to give that information … The amount that you see is a really conservative amount based on the services we are providing at the center,” Rodriguez said. “But you’re right, it does open the door and I understand that you are responsible for city funding and want to ensure that the investment is being made in the way it needs to be for the residents.”

While Mayor Travis Mitchell expressed his support for HCWC, he cautioned that the mentality and mindset toward donating money or entering into service agreements with nonprofit organizations can change from council to council over the years as new members are ushered in.

“This budget item will increase and the politics around the item will increase … [so] that city council will become so frustrated with the politics that they will kill it,” he said.

Following discussion, council member Yvonne Flores-Cale made a motion to instruct city staff to create a service agreement with HCWC for $15,000. The motion was seconded by Parsley.

“Nobody has to convince me to try to do a service agreement with this organization. My belief is that we already use these services and so, because we already do that, it’s important that we support and help maintain whatever services they provide,” stated Flores-Cale.

The service agreement organized by city staff will come before council for a final vote at a future meeting.