Rockdale Citizen

Photo by Howard Reed

CONYERS -- Ceek To Fulfill will not receive any funding from Rockdale County this year, a decision that brought into focus a contentious discussion over taxpayer dollars being given to other nonprofits.

Rockdale County Commission Chairman Richard Oden made a motion to provide Ceek To Fulfill $5,000 during Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting. However, there was not a second to Oden's motion from Commissioners JaNice Van Ness or Oz Nesbitt and no other action was taken on the item.

"It's a sad day, but it's also a good day," said Oden, disappointed with the outcome. "But we've addressed this and we will move on."

Ceek To Fulfill was earmarked to receive $35,000 in the proposed 2011 county budget for its first year of receiving county funding. However, Ceek To Fulfill's portion was tabled on Dec. 14 after Van Ness and Oden went through each nonprofit group to approve funding.

Oden had sought a compromise of $20,000 during the December meeting while Van Ness suggested $5,000.

Nesbitt abstained from voting on the matter at the Dec. 14 meeting due to a perceived conflict of interest with a Ceek To Fulfill contractor, Cheryl Board.

The discussion over funding nonprofit groups continued throughout the three-hour meeting Tuesday and became heated at times between Nesbitt and Van Ness, who each presented proposed policy changes on the topic.

Nesbitt sought to eliminate funding from all non-mandated nonprofit groups with his legislation. He argued the county was having a difficult time as it is balancing the budget and believes the process is not fair.

Nesbitt commended the local nonprofit groups in the county that provide a valuable service to help others.

"However, at the same time it is not the business of a local government to serve as a funding source," he said. "So to the point, over the years this government, perhaps this community, has embraced this idea that we would simply award funds to those who come and sit at the table or knock on the door."

Nesbitt then accused Van Ness of lack of action on this topic during her first term as a commissioner on an all-Republican BOC and of selectively "picking and choosing" which groups would get funding and which ones did not.

Van Ness offered a proposed change that was first introduced in March 2009 that set up a selection committee within the county government to make recommendations on nonprofit funding. The process would be open to all nonprofit groups with requirements of statements of purpose, reach of services and either a certified audit or professionally prepared account statement of finances.

Comissioners raised concerns over the requirement of a certified audit. Some nonprofits are small and a certified audit each year could be expensive for them. Rockdale County Finance Director Roselyn Miller explained the option would be a prepared statement by a certified public accountant that could cost less than $100.

Both Nesbitt and Van Ness said they believe the finanical requirements should be more formal. Asked how nonprofits prepare financial information for the county now, she said it's just asked of them and the information comes in different formats from docments created by finanical software to spreadsheets.

No action was taken on Nesbitt's proposal after no one seconded Van Ness' motion to defer following discussion. Van Ness' proposal was deferred to next week for further consideration.

It was noted that any change to the methods would take effect in 2012.By Jay Jones

News Editor

jay.jones@rockdalecitizen.com

CONYERS -- Ceek To Fulfill will not receive any funding from Rockdale County this year, a decision that brought into focus a contentious discussion over taxpayer dollars being given to other nonprofits.

Rockdale County Commission Chairman Richard Oden made a motion to provide Ceek To Fulfill $5,000 during Tuesday's Board of Commissioners meeting. However, there was not a second to Oden's motion from Commissioners JaNice Van Ness or Oz Nesbitt and no other action was taken on the item.

"It's a sad day, but it's also a good day," said Oden, disappointed with the outcome. "But we've addressed this and we will move on."

Ceek To Fulfill was earmarked to receive $35,000 in the proposed 2011 county budget for its first year of receiving county funding. However, Ceek To Fulfill's portion was tabled on Dec. 14 after Van Ness and Oden went through each nonprofit group to approve funding.

Oden had sought a compromise of $20,000 during the December meeting while Van Ness suggested $5,000.

Nesbitt abstained from voting on the matter at the Dec. 14 meeting due to a perceived conflict of interest with a Ceek To Fulfill contractor, Cheryl Board.

The discussion over funding nonprofit groups continued throughout the three-hour meeting Tuesday and became heated at times between Nesbitt and Van Ness, who each presented proposed policy changes on the topic.

Nesbitt sought to eliminate funding from all non-mandated nonprofit groups with his legislation. He argued the county was having a difficult time as it is balancing the budget and believes the process is not fair.

Nesbitt commended the local nonprofit groups in the county that provide a valuable service to help others.

"However, at the same time it is not the business of a local government to serve as a funding source," he said. "So to the point, over the years this government, perhaps this community, has embraced this idea that we would simply award funds to those who come and sit at the table or knock on the door."

Nesbitt then accused Van Ness of lack of action on this topic during her first term as a commissioner on an all-Republican BOC and of selectively "picking and choosing" which groups would get funding and which ones did not.

Van Ness offered a proposed change that was first introduced in March 2009 that set up a selection committee within the county government to make recommendations on nonprofit funding. The process would be open to all nonprofit groups with requirements of statements of purpose, reach of services and either a certified audit or professionally prepared account statement of finances.

Comissioners raised concerns over the requirement of a certified audit. Some nonprofits are small and a certified audit each year could be expensive for them. Rockdale County Finance Director Roselyn Miller explained the option would be a prepared statement by a certified public accountant that could cost less than $100.

Both Nesbitt and Van Ness said they believe the finanical requirements should be more formal. Asked how nonprofits prepare financial information for the county now, she said it's just asked of them and the information comes in different formats from docments created by finanical software to spreadsheets.

No action was taken on Nesbitt's proposal after no one seconded his motion to defer following discussion. Van Ness' proposal was deferred to next week for further consideration.

It was noted that any change to the methods would take effect in 2012.