Town returns accepted donation, may send back others
As the old saying goes, never look a gift horse in the mouth. But what if you have no use for the gift?
That’s a question members of the Bethlehem Town Board have been pondering recently, as a number of resident donations have been received for projects that were and still are on the drawing board.
It’s provoked a discussion on the town’s position on citizen charity. In short, there isn’t one.
`This is a unique situation. I do not know of it happening in the past,` said Supervisor Sam Messina.
The town receives donations on the order of $10 to several hundred dollars on a relatively regular basis, but these are usually to fund things like memorial park benches or sheet music for the senior choir, not for policy items or programs.
Most recently, at a June 23 meeting, the Town Board discussed an anonymous donation of $200 to be split between fixing the tennis court lights at the Elm Avenue Park and financing an Internet broadcast system for town meetings. At the time, neither issue had been decided by the board (fixing the lights was approved later in that meeting).
Including this donation, $300 has been given to `supporting Internet access for Town Board meetings.` Those checks have been accepted, but also recorded as liabilities so the town has the option to refund the money.
Messina said in a later interview the town would be sending back the donation towards the light repairs and would likely do the same to the broadcast donations should a program be pursued.
`If we find a solution, and I think we will to the access issue…. I would certainly act to send those checks back too,` Messina said.
The light fix will be funded by forgoing the purchase of a lawn mower for the parks and rec department.
Councilman Mark Hennessey cast the sole dissenting vote in accepting the June 23 donation, arguing the town should avoid taking money when it’s not clear if it would be spent.
`The money that was being donated was for a purpose that we haven’t even voted on yet,` he said in a later interview. `Until such time as we determine how much it’s going to cost to provide the service we agree on, I don’t know if we should be in the business of taking donations for it.`
He also said anonymous donations should not be considered, as they could originate from somewhere outside of town or be used simply to influence policy`especially if the donor knows the check will be returned.
He pointed out anyone who speaks at a board meeting is required to state their identity.
`Whenever somebody presents something before the board, it should be required they identify who they are and where they live,` Hennessey said. `I don’t think there should be two standards.`
Councilman Kyle Kotary said he doesn’t want to discourage any donations, but will be looking to the town attorney on the legality of taking anonymous donations for developing projects.
`Accepting anonymous funds for the food bank, or sheet music or the DARE program…are completely different from accepting donations for a policy or controversial issue,` he said. `You just have to be careful where the money’s coming from.`
He cited concerns about involved parties attempting to influence the process or even having the donations be perceived as bribes.
Messina argued it would be improper to turn donations away or to set a blanket policy on citizen gifts because every contribution is unique. He also said the public shouldn’t be discouraged from making donations, even if they will likely be refunded.
`The citizens have decided to send the town checks for these things that they believe in,` he said. `They have a right to make that case by sending in a check.“
