Outside agencies that received funding in 2011:
Forestry Service
Soil Conservation
Library
CE STeel Community Center
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Chamber of Commerce
Health Department
GRN Mental Health
Ambulance service - National EMS
Burial fees (for inidigent, unidentified victims)
Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families
CONROC
Rockdale Cares
DFCS
Arts Council
Project ReNeWal
Rockdale Emergency Relief
(Feb. 8, 1:41 p.m.) The Board of Commissioners voted to cut out funding for non-profits, other than those that provide mandated services, for the 2012 budget in a 2-1 vote at this morning’s BOC meeting.
Board Chairman Richard Oden voted against the resolution, which was proposed by Post 1 Commissioner Oz Nesbitt and supported by Post 2 Commissioner JaNice Van Ness.
“This will remove the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners from being in a position to fund these non-mandated agencies and keep from getting involved in that type of activity,” said Nesbitt.
Van Ness had initially proposed a policy that would reduce funding to non-mandated non-profits during a transition period in 2012 and eliminate it in 2013. The policy was taken off the agenda, again in 2-1 vote with Oden voting against.
Van Ness said she was responding to emails she had received from the public. “We want to be responsive to citizen requests and tighten our belt just like they’re having to do at home,” she said.
Oden did not comment directly on the actions but said during Board comments, “Today, Rockdale you witnessed several legislative decisions made out of peer pressure, but I tell you we will move forward.”
It is unclear which outside agencies are considered non-profits mandated under state, federal and county laws.
Out of the 18 organizations listed under “outside agencies” and receiving funding in 2011, some are not 501(c)3 non-profits.
Others are created under state laws, such as the Nancy Guinn Memorial Library, or federal laws, such as soil conservation, which is created to fulfill Environmental Protection Agency rulings. And others are funded because of ordinances at the county level, such as the Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families.
County Clerk Jennifer Rutledge said it may take a few weeks to identify and confirm which agencies fall under the heading of mandated non-profit.
The county gave about $2 million in funding to outside agencies for 2011. About three fourths of that goes to the library and ambulance service with National EMS.
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(Feb. 8, 10:48 a.m.) IN BRIEF: The Board of Commissioners voted to eliminate funding for non-profits, other than those that provide services the county is mandated to provide, for 2012.
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