TO HELP FUND RECREATION
The Fairhope High Pirate Booster Club is seeking $35,000/yr. for the next five years ($175K total) for expansion and remodeling of the boy's athletic facility, resurfacing of practice fields, the addition of an outdoor track, and new soccer fields on the Manley Rd. property the city purchased for the school in 2009 (for aprx. $900,000).
The city's share would amount to only 15%: total costs projected to be $975,000, the majority coming from other public/private sources.
OTHERS SEEK DONATIONS TOO
According to Finance Chairman Zunk, The Chamber of Commerce is also seeking $175,000 (over 5 years) for its Blueprint for Tomorrow advertising campaign and the Veteran's Memorial Committee wants another $200,000 for their proposed memorial (Tears of Sorrow, Tears of Joy) to be located on the bluff.
COMMITTEE MEMBER WORRIES ABOUT SPENDING
One finance committee member, Stan Grubin, expressed some skepticism--citing the fact that city employees were given no raises the past two year due to the city's tight finances.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO COME FROM UTILITY BILLS
Such donations come from the city's Community Developments funds budget, which is financed mostly from citizens' utility bills-- a practice Mayor Kant has repeatedly defended as better than using "tax dollars." (For the 2011 budget, $74,000 was to be taken from the water, gas and electric funds individually: totaling $222,000. In prior years, most had come from electric. Presumably, the new requests would be included in next year's (2012) budget, beginning this Oct. 1st.)
ELECTRIC RATES TO RISE OVER 10% SOON
The Mayor has already announced plans for a 8.8% electric rate hike for this year, due to new environmental regulation costs. (Another 2% may come in November)
Two Councilmembers (Stankoski and Quinn) expressed reluctance recently over having to raise citizens' electric rates during such hard economic times.
COMMITTEE DEFERS DECISIONS UNTIL JUNE
Rather than approve/deny individual requests as they come in, the Finance Committee decided it was prudent to defer all requests until its regular budget meetings later this year (June).
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| sports request |
The city's share would amount to only 15%: total costs projected to be $975,000, the majority coming from other public/private sources.
OTHERS SEEK DONATIONS TOO
According to Finance Chairman Zunk, The Chamber of Commerce is also seeking $175,000 (over 5 years) for its Blueprint for Tomorrow advertising campaign and the Veteran's Memorial Committee wants another $200,000 for their proposed memorial (Tears of Sorrow, Tears of Joy) to be located on the bluff.
COMMITTEE MEMBER WORRIES ABOUT SPENDING
One finance committee member, Stan Grubin, expressed some skepticism--citing the fact that city employees were given no raises the past two year due to the city's tight finances.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO COME FROM UTILITY BILLS
Such donations come from the city's Community Developments funds budget, which is financed mostly from citizens' utility bills-- a practice Mayor Kant has repeatedly defended as better than using "tax dollars." (For the 2011 budget, $74,000 was to be taken from the water, gas and electric funds individually: totaling $222,000. In prior years, most had come from electric. Presumably, the new requests would be included in next year's (2012) budget, beginning this Oct. 1st.)
ELECTRIC RATES TO RISE OVER 10% SOON
The Mayor has already announced plans for a 8.8% electric rate hike for this year, due to new environmental regulation costs. (Another 2% may come in November)
Two Councilmembers (Stankoski and Quinn) expressed reluctance recently over having to raise citizens' electric rates during such hard economic times.
COMMITTEE DEFERS DECISIONS UNTIL JUNE
Rather than approve/deny individual requests as they come in, the Finance Committee decided it was prudent to defer all requests until its regular budget meetings later this year (June).
Comments
The money requested by the Booster Club would be only for the field house, track and surface for a practice field on school property.