An organization that provides emergency financial assistance to Benton County residents will be receiving a much larger allocation than anticipated this year from the city of Philomath.
During the Philomath City Council’s regular meeting Monday night, We Care was awarded $10,575 in utility assistance grant funding — more than twice as much as the $5,000 amount it had requested.
Mayor Christopher McMorran said simply that the city had that amount to award for utility assistance and “they were the only organization that applied.”
“I have no doubt that they can spend more than they requested if given,” McMorran said. “I think they just usually request about $5,000 every year so the committee just decided to put all our chips on that corner.”
Councilor Diane Crocker supported the move.
“I’ve heard some presentations from We Care and they’re very good and they never have enough money,” she said.
The council at the meeting also approved $31,409 in social services grants to six organizations and $14,413 in Transient Lodging Tax funding to five local nonprofits.
The city’s grant funding process begins with the Budget Committee determining the amount of appropriations available, a request for proposals then goes out to past applicants along with public postings, and a review of funding candidates by the Finance and Administration Committee occurs.
As far as the utility assistance funding grants, We Care has been a repeat recipient over the years with the organization historically assisting Philomath residents with delinquent utility bills. For the current fiscal year, $10,575 was appropriated to the utility assistance grant program out of the city’s water and sewer funds.
A second organization that provides aid to those in need has received funding in past years but the nonprofit did not submit an application this year, City Manager Chris Workman said.
The grant to We Care was approved on a 6-0-1 vote (Jessica Andrade abstained based on a conflict of interest).
TLT grants went to the Philomath Frolic and Rodeo ($4,500), Benton County Historical Society ($3,431), Bountiful Backyard ($3,000), Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce ($2,500) and Philomath Scout Lodge ($1,000).
The city retains 50% of the money made available through lodging taxes with the other half going toward the grants. TLT grants go toward tourism promotion and tourism-related facilities.
Three organizations applied for TLT funds for the first time — Bountiful Backyard (which oversees the Philomath Farmers’ Market), Philomath Scout Lodge and Maxtivity Arts and Crafts.
In all, the six organizations made funding requests that added up to $38,500.
“Part of the reason that we had to make some difficult decisions was because we basically doubled the number of applicants,” McMorran said. “Unfortunately we did not double the amount of money to be given away.”
Maxtivity, a local nonprofit arts studio that provides educational and community programs, was not a recipient of any funding — but the mayor explained.
“The application that they submitted was basically like a perfect fit with one of the city’s strategic plan goals,” he said. “So we think we’re probably just going to work with them on that outside of this grant process and maybe do a contract or some sort of external work with them.”
The project in mind revolves around a placemaking campaign, McMorran said.
Approval of the grant passed on a 6-0-1 vote (Brent Kaseman abstained based on a conflict of interest).
The council then approved social services grants to ABC House ($4,000), Benton Habitat for Humanity ($5,409), Maxtivity ($4,000), Philomath Community Services ($5,600), Philomath Youth Activities Club ($6,400) and Strengthening Rural Families ($6,000).
“As state revenue sharing continues to shrink, our social service agencies are getting less and less money every year,” Workman said, suggesting that it might be a topic for the Finance and Administration Committee to take up in the future. “I’m just throwing that out there for now — it’s just that number keeps going down every year.”
McMorran offered another perspective.
“It means people are drinking and smoking less — that’s where that money comes from — which is good but it also means less money to give out to good organizations,” he said.
State shared revenue has several sources, including state liquor revenues, and state cigarette and marijuana taxes.
The vote passed 5-0-2 (Kaseman and Spencer Irwin abstained based on conflicts of interest).
