Although money was tight this entire past fiscal year, KAB held its own. With a possible new $5,000 donation from Walmart, KAB Executive Director Joanne Maskew reported KAB will be “in the black” by the end of this fiscal year June 30.
Until that donation, KAB had been in the red roughly $4,000 due to some higher costs for telephone and Internet costs, travel, and annual meeting, solid-waste breakfast and 20th anniversary expenses.
Additional funds normally earned by KAB from isolated flea markets were not held.
In addition, membership also dropped, lowering some anticipated income. Renewals for KAB membership will be sent out in June.
Bradley County’s anticipated contribution also dropped by $2,500 this current year. The county’s contribution always varies, Maskew said. The city of Cleveland’s contribution, however, usually remains the same.
The need to apply for more grant money is greater now than ever before, said Jim Davis, KAB president. And although Maskew has applied for several grants, she did advise Davis that the competition for grants has also increased.
“There’s lots of competition out there for grants,” Maskew said. She was able to secure a $2,000 grant recently. “I’m out there looking.”
“We need more money,” Davis said. “There’s not much we can cut.”
To address the impending financial future and possible deficit of KAB, a meeting of the executive committee will be held at noon on Monday, June 4, at the conference room of the Public Works building.
But a new issue in the coming fiscal year may mean the county will withdraw all its funds from KAB, and possibly other organizations.
The KAB board discussed the possibility that all joint resolutions with the county might stop if the sales tax resolution isn’t decided.
According to Bradley County Commissioner Adam Lowe, who also is a KAB board member, KAB and other local organizations might lose county funding if the current sales tax agreement does not remain the same. If not, Lowe said, the county might pull its joint partnership money from its agreement with the city of Cleveland that would impact several organizations. If the county does pull its money, this might mean, for example, KAB could lose around $26,500 in funding for the coming fiscal year — or roughly 40 percent of the current year’s budget. This is the amount KAB received from the city for the current fiscal year ending June 30.
Regarding some illegal tire dumping sites in the area, Bradley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Joe Renner, who serves as environmental officer, reported that one tire dumping site in the area is in the process of being cleaned up. However, the county is still working on a solution for the 500 tires illegally dumped on an Overhead Bridge Road property.
In other business:
- Super Saver on Georgetown Road was the Neighborhood Beautification Award winner for May.
- Harting, Bishop & Arrendale on Williams Way has been chosen for the Neighborhood Beautification Award for June.
- Spring Creek Development on APD 40 will receive the Neighborhood Beautification Award for July.
- The White Glove Award winner for July will be the local Long-Term Recovery Organization.
- P&G Duracell will receive the White Glove Award for October.
- Around 1,200 students planted sunflowers and received lessons on recycling and litter in the last three months.
- Two students from Stuart Elementary won KAB’s Poster Contest. Laney Brown won $50 as the first place winner; Mya Johnson won $25 for second place.
- Ocoee Middle School and Lake Forest Middle School won the Rain Barrel Contest.
- The three winning essays were all from Cleveland High School: Sara Ann Ownbey won $250, Brandon Caylor won $200, and Hannah Aubrey Arrington won $150. The contest is co-sponsored with the Westside Ruritan Club.
- Walmart associates and Maskew cleaned up property on Bates Pike.
