With 4 1/2 months left in the fiscal year, the city’s special fund that has largely helped fund project requests from nonprofits is tapped out.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting at the Municipal Complex, Donel Briggs found this out the hard way.
Briggs, founder of the Saving the Youth nonprofit that teaches life skills through sports, appeared before the council and requested $3,000 to help put on the organization’s third annual basketball tournament May 30-June 1. Mayor Keith Gaskin and members of the council lavished Briggs and his organization with praise. Some even offered to donate privately to the cause.
But Gaskin had to explain there was no city money to offer, even though the council had funded walkup requests from other nonprofits that were not in the budget.
The city budgeted more than $800,000 this fiscal year in outside appropriations – funding for nonprofits and agencies like United Way of the Golden Triangle, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, Safe Haven, Columbus Arts Council, Salvation Army, the Chamber of Commerce and others. Those appropriations fell well short of the combined $1.1 million they requested.
Another roughly $22,000 went into a special fund, from which the council funded additional project or nonprofit requests on a case-by-case basis. The requesting group’s private fundraising has to at least match the amount the city gives.
“Which ones we choose and how we choose them comes down to how the council, and the mayor if there is a tie vote, feels it is particularly beneficial to the city,” Gaskin said during a Wednesday press conference at City Hall. “… It is a difficult decision to make.
One of the reasons you have nonprofits is that they are trying to do the work that the city and other organizations cannot do. But we also feel like there are some because of the level of the impact they are having on the city, we look closely to see how we can fund them.”
From the special fund, $15,000 went to the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau for the Bassmaster Open fishing tournament; $2,000 each went to the help the temporary homeless shelter at Genesis Church this winter and The Funeral Is Cancelled LLC for a youth event promoting nonviolence; $1,500 assisted an Open Heart Foundation heart walk at the Roger Short Soccer Complex; $1,000 went to the Lowndes County Sports Hall of Fame; and the rest went to advertising.
Gaskin said statutorily, funded projects have to show the city “in a good light.”
With the special fund now depleted, the city now has to turn everyone away until after Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year begins. Instead officials are encouraging groups that have annual events to submit an outside appropriation request to be included in the budget.
Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard told The Dispatch for annual events, that’s the way it should be. The special fund should be reserved for new events and pop-up projects during the year.
“I’m glad we’re able to help organizations throughout our city that come and ask for funds,” Beard said. “Pretty much everybody that came before us has received some type of funding.”
Vice Mayor Joseph Mickens, who represents Ward 2, said the first-come, first-served way the council has doled out those special funds over the years isn’t fair.
He’s been calling since 2024 to stop the parade of walkup funding requests from groups at council meetings. He’s not even sure taxpayer money should go to private organizations at all, especially if it’s not specified in the budget.
“Some would say yes. Some would say nay,” said Mickens, who lost his reelection bid and won’t be on the council next term. “For me, personally, I would say nay. I think we have to draw the line some kind of way, and I’m praying this next administration does just that.”
At minimum, the city needs a better policy for what is eligible for special funds.
“When one person comes, it’s just a domino effect. Some of these are good projects,” he said. “But to be good stewards of the money the people has put us over, we’ve got to be more thoughtful. … Every year we’re getting new people (requesting funds).”
Gaskin said nonprofits should do what they can for private fundraising and seeking grants before asking for taxpayer money. However, he said the council needs to consider when events are bringing visitors – and thus, income, to the city.
For example, Briggs said 66 teams are registered for STY basketball tournament. Five are from out of state and many others are from far-flung parts of Mississippi. That should put several hundred guests in area hotel rooms and restaurants over three days, he said.
“There’s no perfect process,” Gaskin said. “… But I think it’s important that we help when we can.”
For Briggs, putting on the event takes roughly $15,000. Most of that STY self-funds, he said, with the exception of $3,000 the CVB has committed each of the last two years.
He is disappointed the city didn’t add to that this year, though he said he appreciates any private donations his Tuesday appearance before the council generates. Briggs also plans to apply for an outside contribution in next year’s city budget.
The Dispatch called and left messages with council members Ethel Stewart of Ward 1, Rusty Greene of Ward 3, Stephen Jones of Ward 5 and Jacqueline DiCicco of Ward 6. DiCicco responded but was not available to give a comment by press time. The others did not respond.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
