Marshfield City Council to Stick With Policy of Making Organization Reapply for City Funding
Thursday, July 16th, 2020 -- 8:59 AM
(WDLB) -Marshfield Aldermen will stick with their policy of making non-government, non-profit organizations "reapply" for city funding on an annual basis.The issue was discussed at Tuesday's meeting of the Common Council, as city leaders gear up for writing the 2021 budget. Alderman Tom Buttke wanted to give organizations like the Marshfield Civic Band, Upham Mansion and the Palm Sunday Concert Choir automatic renewals for next year. A motion by Alderman Buttke to that effect failed on a vote of 7-3. Alderman Tom Witzel voted "no". He wants to hear justification for any budget requests that go to the Council. City Administrator Steve Barg said it is worthwhile to critique those requests on an annual basis, especially this year. Barg noted that nine agencies requested funding from the city last year, and all nine were ultimately given the funding they sought.
The city's policy for dealing with such requests was adopted in December of 2018, after the Council that year had said "yes" to some non-profits while "no" to others. Marshfield aldermen voted on two different occasions in 2018 against funding for the city's domestic abuse organization, the Personal Development Center. Two years earlier, the Council rejected a donation request from one of the city's signature non-profit organizations, St. Vincent DePaul. Those rejections came while the city decided to give money to the Marshfield Area Pet Shelter and to the Marshfield Area Coalition For Youth's heroin prevention program.
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