Sunday, March 12, 2006
Non Profits and You
During our last council meeting we were faced with two resolutions to provide additional funding to the Meriden Raiders and Salvation Army. There was quite a debate. Contrary to some opinions, we don't settle these things in caucus. The discussion revolved around whether we should provide non-profit agencies additional funding after they have received monies through CDBG grants (this is money we recieve from the Feds). I am interested in your thoughts as we will be faced with more and more of these requests in the future.
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8 comments:
The Raiders are always crying for more money. They spent all their budget (plus more) going to national championship tournaments. If their parents want them to play football, let them pay for everything involved with the program!
In many cases the non-profits are providing services that otherwise might have to be provided by the city itself. In such cases providing additional funds could be considered as leveraging those resources.
Caution and debate will be needed however as the non-profits can not assume such additional dollars will be routinely forthcoming. The council has a right and obligation to ensure that the funds provided are used properly and that a legitimate needs exists in the first place.
Reply to anonymous..
The Raider organization under the leadership of Lisa Belote raised ( I belive she said at the banquet) well over $50,000. They are successful on the field; they should be rewarded.
The answer is simple. Build the complex at Falcon; people will come; charge admission; income from concession will go up...
Give them a chance!
tom ryan
football coach
platt high school
Reply to Tom Ryan: It is very good that the Raiders raised $50K for their program. That't the way it should be for non-profits - if you want to operate an organization, either have your clients pay for the service or raise the money yourself through fundraisers, or solicit business and industry. Please don't come with your hand out to the City Council looking for taxpayer money. So what you're successful, it's a kid's football league. You probably don't realize this, but football isn't the most important thing in the world. And here's another surprise for you, football doesn't build character!!!
anonymous
You may be right but I have coached a lot of successful people.
My former players and managers are:
Teachers
Policemen
FBI agents
Soldiers (4 served in Iraq)
Dentists
Doctors
Professors
Business owners
Lawyers
Blue-collar guys “bustin” their butt to provide
Coaches
A major general in the Marine Corps
Engineers
Pilots
Captains of ships
Guidance counselors
Students (75% of our players attend college or prep)
School administrators
Truck drivers
Even a mayor
Supervisors
Social Workers
Stock brokers
Athletic directors
Car salesmen (Making good money too!
Maybe the time involved with the GAME just didn't allow for the bad stuff!
tr
Gee coach, that's quite a leap you make there - because people in these occupations played football for you, they became successful. I guess their parents, other high school and life experiences, and college had nothing to do with it. How about all your former players who are regular contributors to the police blotter, was that also due to your tuteledge and participation in the GAME????
Dear Mr. Zerio- I'm sitting here wondering why Coach Ryan shouldn't be so very proud of 'his' graduates. That last message seemed awfully mean-spirited. And anonymous, too, I see.
While I think they are really 'our' graduates, (something to which I bet he will agree), doing something for the public good is a choice like any other, but the pay isn't. The pay for him IS 'his' graduates. The pay-off for him and for anyone in the non-profit sector IS the positive result vs the crushing hours, the success during the lack of funding,the..., oh, you know, the lack of respect one gets for not doing something 'important' like building IBM or Halliburton. I bet a lot of the guys at IBM and Halliburton played ball when they were in high school. No big, fancy home, no big,fancy car, no big, fancy trips around the world for teachers or other on-profit workers.
The pay-off for non-profit workers is 'the good', the difference-to-the-good that is done. Congratulations, Coach. You and your program participants deserve huzzahs, kudos and accollades and a really nice field, too.
Mr. Zerio, could people please think kindly of us non-profit workers, we are willing to donate years to 'doing good'. It is just mean to say that some of 'our' (read "your", too) graduates are clogging the police blotter by some reflection of the very people who are trying so hard to have no one on the police blotter. I'm just wondering how many juvenile activity or even jail diversion programs the writer has participated in, please?
You might think about it. There are such things. Get involved in Meriden, it is a neat bunch of people!
Non-profits are like that field in the movie "build it and they will come". Why should Meriden be responsible for the various regional social ills that the surrounding communties do not want deal with. I live right next to the Southington/Cheshire town line, and I can tell you from first hand expercience that I have witnessed police officers from (I will not name the town) drop off homeless individuals and instruct them to just walk down West Main Street. Why should Meriden taxpayers pay for a person, who has no connections to this community. Before anyone quotes the golden rule or some variation, just think about what you are asking the taxpayers of Meriden to do. Meriden taxpayers should not have to subsidize non-profit organizations that simply serve as magnets for persons with no connection to the community and no way of giving back to the community. Therefore, I think Meriden Raider football is more deserving than some other program which simple floods the streets of Meriden with persons who have no connection or concern about our City.
John Q Public
P.S. I worked for a non-profit social service agency for five years, so spare me the pep talk about all the positives that such agencies give to a community.
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