WM Council distributes funds to Boys and Girls clubs

WM Council distributes funds to Boys and Girls clubs

Clubs, nonprofits receive windfall from Southland Charity, Disaster Relief days

news@theeveningtimes.com

West Memphis City Councilors exercised their discretion, distributing gleanings from Southland Gaming and Racing during the final meeting of April. Disaster Relief Days and revenue from uncashed tickets was announced by Treasurer Frank Martin.

City Council pounced on the un-cashed ticket proceeds and split the take four ways among the boys and girls clubs in the city. Two of the clubs were in arrears with their city utilities and needed the funds to come current according to Martin. “We have a distribution to the our clubs available today and that is what we really need to get to,” said Martin. The pot totaled $81,977. The Crittenden County Boys and Girls Club, the J.W. Rich Girls Club, the L.R. Jackson Girls Club, and the Wonder City Boys Club each benefited from an even four way split of $20,490. Martin requested permission to distribute the money.

“All the clubs are in compliance for distribution?” asked Councilwoman Ramona Taylor. “As of today they are all current on their requirements,” replied Martin.

Before the meeting Martin circulated a draft containing changes to the club’s reporting requirements for the city councilors to consider. The preliminary proposal reaffirms that each club must organize under 501(c)(3), exclusively benefit youth, and remain non-political. Reporting periods are less frequent according to the suggested changes. Written quarterly reports become semi-annual and are due at the end of June and December. Year end audited financial statements and year end tax statements are due on the summertime deadline. Liability insurance and bonding requirements continue unchanged.

The city leases with the clubs are more than a generation old and have continued to renew automatically from year to year. Previous discussions in various commission meetings have discussed updated leases for each Club but were not spelled out in this draft.

Funds from a different pot were divided and distributed too.

“We have fund distribution of Disaster Relief Day,” Martin told Councilors. “That’s what you normally give the Good Neighbors Center and Delta Neighborhood Action Council.”

City Council split the other funds as well. $12,084 revenue split 60/40. $7,250 was given to the Good Neighbor Center and $4,834 went to Delta Neighborhood.

By John Rech