One Grand for a Grand Event!

Commentary

Item 11 of the Common Council Meeting Monday night considers a contingency fund transfer; a payment of an expense to help pay for the MHS/Xavier pre-game football dinner.

An informative article in the Middletown Press reports on the annual pre-game football dinner.

In a phone call to the Mayor’s office Friday afternoon to inquire about this expense one of the Mayor’s aids stated that the city stepped up to help out with expenses after a local business reneged at the last minute on a pledge of support for the event. The business in question has stated that they were never asked to make a donation to this years event. A google search provided additional information that the Mayor’s office also contributed a $1000 in 2008; a year in which the MHS and Xavier football game posted a shared profit of more than $10,000. (As provided by the MHS Booster's Club January 2009 meeting minutes.)

An argument might be made that the city cannot afford this expense with a downturn in the economy and a city budget under pressure. It can also be argued that city funds should not be spent to defray costs that a private school/institution is participating in. I will go one step further though and argue that this “pre” game expense is an inappropriate use of tax dollars in any circumstance. Hey, I’m a fan of school and recreational sport for youth, and have no complaint about a portion of my tax dollars being used to pay for competitive play, as funded by the Board of Education and park and recreation budgets, and helped along by booster club funds; provided they fall within the provision of title nine regulations with equality in spending and accommodation between boys and girls teams in all matters. I just don’t think money from the city's contingency fund should pay for unexpected expenses of a private event.

I know Middletown considers itself to be a sports lovers town, and that our City Fathers in and out of office are very proud and supportive of Middletown’s sports heritage. However the Common Council needs to consider whether a pre-game dinner is a community event? What constitutes a community event, worthy of city funding? Expenses and payment deadlines should have been known to banquet organizers well ahead of time. I will also submit that with a town so proud of it’s sports heritage I find it hard to believe that last minute donations could not be solicited from individuals and business around town, thus avoiding having to ask the city for a hand.

I urge our newly elected Common Council as they go into this new term of office to please review and consider clear, meaningful guidelines for all funding requests, and to better define fair and equitable uses of the Mayor’s contingency fund.