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December 20, 2005

Arts Project won’t get share of Guild's funding

By Jamie Jones

The Dalton Arts Project won’t receive money from the Dalton City Council in 2006.

During the council’s meeting Monday, councilman Terry Christie made a motion to re-appropriate $5,000 to the Dalton Arts Project from the Creative Arts Guild’s $56,000 in funding for next year. The motion died for a lack of a second.

Berrien Long, president of the Dalton Arts Project board of directors, said after the meeting she wasn’t disappointed, adding she may seek funding from the council next year.

“I’m just glad we have so much support in the community,” Long said.

The Dalton Arts Project presents “The Nutcracker” each year. Long had asked the city for $25,000, or about 25 percent of the production costs for “The Nutcracker.”

On Dec. 8 the city’s finance committee, which includes the mayor and council, proposed giving the Dalton Arts Project $5,000. The council earmarked at that time $51,000 for the Creative Arts Guild, $4,000 less than it received this year and $9,000 less than Guild officials requested.

At the next finance meeting on Dec. 14, council members decided to rescind funding for the Dalton Arts Project because it had not received 501(c)3 nonprofit status, adding the $5,000 to the Creative Arts Guild’s funding for 2006. The Dalton Arts Project has since received 501(c)3 approval from the Internal Revenue Service.

Christie said he thinks the Creative Arts Guild and Dalton Arts Project both provide a benefit to the community and should receive city funding.

“I truly hate that two really fine, dynamic organizations that do a tremendous service for this community are at one another because of funding,” Christie said. “We don’t benefit from that.”

Councilman Mike Robinson said he thinks the Dalton Arts Project is “worthwhile,” but said, “I’m not so sure they should be part of the public ward.”

Also during Monday’s meeting, council members approved 4-0 the city’s $32.35 million city budget for 2006. The 2005 budget is $31.41 million. The 2006 budget does not include a pay raise for the city’s 455 full-time employees, but the city will cover $472,503 in increased health care costs, officials said.

In other business, council members:

• Approved three new alcohol beverage applications for 2006: Rajan B. Patel, (Sunrise Market No. 4), Reyes Maldonado Saucedo (Bar Las Delicias) and Kentucky Retail Marketing Corp. (Dalton IGA, formerly Stafford’s grocery store off East Murray Avenue).

• Voted 4-0 to close a portion of West Boundary Street.

• Held the first readings of ordinances to close parts of Helton Street and Knox Street, and close portions of Kirby Street, First Avenue and an unnamed alley.

• Approved 4-0 a property donation from Paul Belk and Horace Sewell for property near Coronet Drive and Old Chattanooga Avenue.

The council will hold its next meeting on Jan. 4 at 5:45 p.m.

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