Kent County Levy Court heard a proposal at its Nov. 3 meeting to accept grants for a community group and to administer the money to run nutrition and substance abuse programs for youth.

Formerly called Dover’s Caring Community Coalition, the group has changed its name to the Kent County Prevention Coalition in hopes of expanding its mission to schools and residents across the county.

Natalie Way, the group’s director, said she did not know the amount of money that could be received by the KCPC or what percentage of the funds could be placed toward administrative costs.

“We’ve given the county all the information that we have at this time,” Way said.

Commissioner Allan Angel said the county has received other grants through the county Department of Parks and Recreation and that receiving the grants for the group would provide a service to constituents.

“There’s no additional cost to tax payers,” Angel said, noting the grant would pay for the county to hire temporary employees to administer the funds to KCPC.

Department of Finance Director Susan Durham said the county would be responsible for complying with the grant’s guidelines and could possibly be required to pay approximately $5,000 to conduct an audit.

County Administrator Mike Petit de Mange noted the group was asking the county to provide a service without providing an idea of the resources that will be available to the county.

“It feels like we’re walking in the dark without a flashlight,” Petit de Mange said. “In an ideal situation, this would be a little more fleshed out.”

Even though the grants would cover some administrative costs, the county would not be able to request unlimited funds, said Commissioner Brad Eaby.

“I want to support it, I want to be sold, I want to say yes,” Eaby said, adding that he didn’t want the county to agree to accept the funds and then back out of the situation because they couldn’t provide the services.

After almost two hours of debate and questions to the group’s leaders, the commissioners decided to move the proposal to its Nov. 10 business meeting and reconsider it at that time.