Groups plead to keep funding

Staunton News Leader, May 1, 2009

By Trevor Brown/staff

tbrown@newsleader.com

WAYNESBORO -- Several nonprofit organizations and community groups implored the Waynesboro City Council to rescind funding cuts that have been proposed for the 2010 fiscal year budget.

Representatives from groups, including Valley Hope Counseling, Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., the Heritage Museum and Blue Ridge Legal Services spoke during Thursday's public hearing on the budget. The told council of the negative effect the loss of city money would have on their respective groups and their contributions to the city.

Faced with a substantial drop in anticipated revenue, City Manager Mike Hamp recommended an almost $750,000 reduction in general fund spending for the 2010 budget, which includes a decrease of $177,000 in contributions to outside agencies.

Hamp, however, said the recently announced federal stimulus funding to the Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro could be used to restore funding to many of these agencies.

John Whitfield, executive director of Blue Ridge Legal Services, a nonprofit firm that offers legal assistance throughout the Shenandoah Valley, said the proposed cut of $2,549 to his organization would have a significant effect on its operations. He said with unemployment rising in the area, the firm continues to see more clients than it can handle.

"This is really a question of if providing equal access to justice is important and it's a question of whether city council thinks this is important," he said. "This is really a modest sum that helps ensure that many of the city's poor, elderly, disabled and those out of work are able to be vindicated to keep their rights. And isn't that important?"

Shirley Bridgeforth, president of the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation's board of directors, similarly said her organization could be crippled by city's contribution reduction, which is proposed to drop from $59,500 to $22,500. She said after already cutting their budget earlier, this drop would affect the staff and quality of service the museum uses to attract tourism and interest in the city.

"We need to put Waynesboro back on the destination list for our citizens and visitors," she said. "Please realize that this is truly the front door to the city, and please restore the $30,000 in Waynesboro's budget."

Although there still are discussions ahead with other representatives, Councilwoman Nancy Dowdy, the council representative for the Community Action Partnership of Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro board, said it is her intent to restore funding to those groups that are eligible.

However, groups such as the Heritage Museum or WDDI, would not be eligible for the CAP-SAW funds. Council members said they would like to revisit the funding requests and discuss if they should restore some or all of the cuts for organizations such as WDDI or the Heritage Museum.