Wednesday, September 27, 2000
African American chamber wants $100,000 back again
By Robert Anglen
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The African American Chamber of Commerce wants $100,000 that it gave back to the city when a tourism program was shut down in April.
City Council will vote today on the request, but some members said Tuesday that the money doesn't belong to the chamber, and it should stand in line with every other agency that will seek a handout from the 2001 budget.
“The project didn't happen, therefore the money does not belong to the chamber,” Councilman Phil Heimlich told the city's finance committee. “It's not right, it's not fiscally responsible.”
Chamber members agreed that they don't have a right to the money, but said it was promised in meetings with the city manager, the mayor and the economic development director.
“We were asked by the mayor and the city manager how they could help move the chamber forward,” said Hubert Guest, chief operating officer.
City funds to a chamber tourism program were frozen in March by acting Economic Development Director Antoinette Selvey-Maddox, saying nothing more would be released until a complete accounting of expenses could be made.
A month later she cleared the chamber, but the move came two days after officials scrapped the program and promised to return any unspent money to the city.
The new request asks that the chamber be allowed to use $100,000 to buy computers and office furniture and to pay the salaries of three new staffers.
Councilwoman Alicia Reece questioned why the city would want to take money for tourism and use it for furniture.
Other members asked about the ordinance — which first appeared on agendas last week without any supporting documentation. They asked Ms. Selvey-Maddox repeatedly about where the ordinance came from and if the city manager recommended it.
Although a letter from the city manager was attached to the ordinance, Ms. Selvey-Maddox had trouble answering and said repeatedly that she “could only refer back to what is written.”
Council members said funding requests should all have to go through the same process and be approved with the budget.
The chamber has already been approved in city budgets for $246,000 in 2001 and in 2002.
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