Council gives level funding to non-profits
The Hartselle City Council will give level funding to all of the non-profit organizations it supports due to lack of increased revenues.
These appropriations were passed during Tuesday’s council meeting when the council also passed its 2012 budget.
Earlier in the budget process, a letter signed by Council President Kenny Thompson was sent to the 18 organizations that received city funding. Of those, 11 requested the same amount while five requested additional funding. Two organizations failed to respond.
The majority of the council was in favor of leaving each organization’s amount of funding the same for now and later revisiting it later in the year to see if it will have additional funding.
“I don’t think it’s fair to the other entities that were OK with level funding for next year and then had five others had the kahunas to ask for more, even though we told them we were likely going to level fund them this year,” said Councilman Tom Chappell.
In fiscal year 2011, the city gave $138,700 to non-profit organizations. If the city granted the requested increases, that total would grow to $148,075. If the city decided to level fund the organizations and remove funding to the organizations that didn’t respond, the total would drop to $133,700.
Of the requested increases, the council only seriously considered granting an increase to the Hartselle Beautification Board, which requested $2,700 for planters, $2,050 to change the status of its employee from a contractual employee to a regular employee for accounting purposes and $825 for expenses with truck expense, insurance, supplies and maintenance. In all, HBA asked for an increase of $5,575.
“HBA works right under us,” Council President Kenny Thompson said. “I would consider giving them the $2,700 for the planters. Either they’re going to keep them up or (public works) will have to do it.”
Mayor Dwight Tankersley also proposed giving the money for the planters and tied the rest of it to an increase in membership.
Councilman Mark Mizell said he suggested that they level fund everything now and come back later on in the year to adjust the funding.
“We can always go back and give more funding later in the year,” Mizell said. “I think we should wait and see if we will be able to afford giving these organizations more.”
On Tuesday, the council agreed to consider amending the budget at its next meeting to give HBA the $2,700 to take care of the planters in downtown.
