County approves local funding

Staff

Published Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Pike County Commission Monday approved annual sales tax appropriations for local organizations.

Two organizations were added to those receiving county support and three organizations saw cutbacks in their share of the funds.

The Pike Animal Shelter and Pike County RSVP were both added to the appropriations list, while the funds for the Colley Senior Complex, Troy Arts Council and the Brundidge Historical Society were reduced.

In all, 20 agencies in Pike County will receive support from the sales tax appropriations.

Commission Chairman Robin Sullivan said the funding for appropriations comes from a $150,000 portion of the county’s 25 percent sales tax profits.

“Years ago, when the commission quit paying out to agencies, the burden was split between the cities of Troy and Brundidge, and they paid these agencies,” Sullivan said. “The biggest portions of this sales tax was to give to these agencies to alleviate the burden from the cities of Troy and Brundidge.”

Sullivan said the organizations on the list come mainly from the mayors of the two cities but also from the commissioners and agencies themselves.

County Administrator Harry Sanders said the chairman, along with the two mayors, serve on a committee that recommends the appropriations to the commission.

This year the RSVP and the animal shelter both received $2,500 each for the year.

Donna Schubert, chair of the animal shelter’s founder society, said she isn’t sure yet what the funding will be used for, but it will be beneficial in the project’s construction.

“Every contribution to the animal shelter makes a difference,” Schubert said.

Janet Motes, director of the Colley Senior Complex, said their funding reduction from $8,000 to $5,000 next year, may be a burden.

“It’s going to hurt us,” Motes said. “We got $666.67 each month from them, and we made that money go a long way around here. We’re grateful for what we can get, and before last year they did not fund us at all.”

Motes said the funding from the commission is used to pay for programs and costs of materials.

In tough economic conditions, Motes said they have seen an increase in their program’s participation, since they are provided at no charge.

“Places like ours become used more. Now they’re looking for ways to not spend as much money,” Motes said. “I just hope we don’t have to burden the senior citizens.”

Sullivan said when the list was made last year, they knew redistributions would have to be made, and next year, it could be the same story.

“We had those two extra and were able to redistribute funds to allow those to be included,” Sullivan said.

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