The Alexander City Outlook

12 agencies receive funds from council

When the city council approved Alexander City’s 2005 budget, it approved appropriations to several local organizations.

Mayor Don McClellan and the city council allocated $90,000 to 12 agencies serving Alexander City’s residents. Councilman Glenn Thomas said each agency provides a valuable service that the city might not be able to offer without them.

Among those receiving funds are:

- Central Alabama Community College – $10,000

- Alexander City Rescue Squad – $4,000

- Lake Martin Area Humane Society – $35,000

- Tallapoosa County Health Department – $10,000

- Operation Downtown Alexander City – $2,500

- East Alabama Mental Health – $5,000

- Jazz Fest – $2,500

- Tree Board – $1,000

- Lighthouse – $2,000

- Jim Pearson playground project – $2,500

- Community Diversity Leadership Training – $13,000

- Community Action Agency – $2,500

“With these agencies, there is something they are doing for the city,” Thomas said. “There are a lot of good agencies, but because of budget constraints, the city has to restrict the appropriations to agencies which it feels has some of the most direct impact on the functions of city government.”

Thomas said the function of city government is to provide services to the city, and they want to make sure residents are given public safety, public facilities and more. For example, the city doesn’t have tennis courts, a rescue group or an animal shelter, and that’s why three of the agencies received appropriations.

“The city does not have municipal tennis courts,” Thomas said. “The city pledged $100,000 over 10 years to CACC for the purposes of developing the tennis courts. They are open to the public.”

Thomas said the city is on the eighth payment to CACC. The humane society and the rescue squad do not have installments, and they are agencies that receive funding annually.

“The rescue squad provides a very valuable service,” Thomas said. “In cases of a drowning, a plan down or someone is lost, they provide services which we as a city could not afford to have a paid staff. The city doesn’t have an animal shelter, and we’re required by law to have a shelter. The humane society provides that and we help fund them.”

The city is still allocating money to the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance and the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce like past years; however, because those agencies provide a specific service, the funding is not considered an appropriation. It has another place in the city’s budget.