The CRDA unanimously approved a $650,000 grant for Atlantic City's youth, senior and multicultural services this week.
The funds will allow the city to expand its youth programs and set up long-awaited senior citizen outreach.
At his first meeting with the lieutenant governor, Mayor Marty Small said she asked him who ran their senior citizen programs. That's when she realized the city didn't have any, he says.
It has been a goal ever since.
"The city does not have a history of linking with those resources at the state and county level," Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver said at the meeting.
She also stressed that youth programs need to go beyond athletics.
"Not everybody's going to go the NFL or the NBA," she said.
Oliver talked about focuses on technology and things like the culinary arts that could lead to careers.
She also was happy to see a swimming program, since many kids in the city don't swim.
"The biggest swimming pool in the world is the Atlantic Ocean," she said.
Oliver has "historically been very supportive of the great city of Atlantic City," Small said.
She also pushed to make sure employees of these programs are paid equally, noting a prior disparity between men's and women's salaries.
Plans include summer camps for financial literary, multi-cultural and bringing back the Precious Jewels camp for girls and All Sports for boys, Small said.
There will be esteem programs, arts and music, culinary and push to involve children on paths toward careers and unions, he said.
"I'm just excited we're going to be offering all of this to our residents and my," Small said.
He noted that his comes at a time when there has been a tax decrease.
"More services with less spending," he said. "That's another check off the promises from the State of the City."
CRDA board member Bill Sproule asked about getting apprenticeships on job sites in the city.
One of the hurdles that came up, Sproule said, was transportation to the required training.
"I think you and I need to sit down and we can put this program together," Small told him.
The mayor then mentioned a successful training program over the summer that involved a three-week intensive boot camp in Jamesburg, and that every child made sure they were there in time to be transported.
"It’s been a long journey to get this funding in place," Small said. "I don’t give up. I wear my passion on my sleeve. I knew eventually it was going to come to light, and I'm glad today was that day."
