The budget ordinance concerning the International Civil Rights Center and Museum on the April 5 City Council agenda is no longer on the consent agenda.
The ordinance facilitating the transfer of $1 million in the City of Greensboro budget to make the payment to the ICRCM has been moved from the consent agenda to the general business agenda.
In an article on April 1, the Rhino Times noted that the budget ordinance concerning the controversial allocation of $1 million to the ICRCM was on the consent agenda.
According to the script read at the beginning of every meeting by Mayor Nancy Vaughan, the consent agenda is a grouping of “routine and noncontroversial items” all voted on with one vote. In order for a councilmember to vote no on a consent agenda item or discuss it, the item first has to be removed from the consent agenda.
With the item on the budget ordinance moved from the consent agenda to the general business agenda, councilmembers will be able to comment on the ordinance, which transfers the $1 million from the “ABC Profit Distribution” fund to an account for “Contributions to Nongovernmental Entities.”
However, commenting on the resolution at this point is a case of closing the barn door after the horse has bolted. The $1 million was wired to the ICRMC on Wednesday, March 31 after the City Council voted 7-1 during the annual City Council retreat on Wednesday, March 23 to allocate a total of $2 million to the ICRCM.
The lone no vote for the allocation was from Councilmember Nancy Hoffmann, who said she was not opposed to the allocation but needed time to go over the financial documents provided to the City Council, which showed that over five years the ICRCM had a $9 million loss. Hoffmann said that she had received the requested financial documents that day and had not had time to go over them.
Councilmember Justin Outling seemed to be in agreement, noting that not all the financials requested by the City Council had been provided and that the city should not make the allocation first and then request the documents.
The motion made by Councilmember Goldie Wells stated that the $1 million allocation would not be made until City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba received the requested documents and Outling agreed with that process.
The ordinance on the agenda simply makes the adjustments in the budget to account for the $1 million that has already been allocated to the ICRCM.
The additional $1 million will be paid in $250,000 increments over four years.
Jaiyeoba said it was not clear how the $250,000 would be used by the ICRCM.
Ah yes, Mandate Mayor gives away tax dollars to donors and voting blocks she desperately needs after her term has run out, after she stated she wouldn’t run again, and at the expense of all other needs our fair city has. Allowing comments after the money has been wired is unethical at best and should be proof to everyone how our Mandate Mayor runs roughshod over any and all legal or ethical standards that exist if it benefits her supporters and political/real estate cabal that has propped up every campaign she has run.
You have to professional politician (with legal advice), to understand all this junque. It’s like, “go ahead and sue us if you don’t like it”.
The city manager says “it is not clear how the $250,000 will be used.” I can tell you the answer to that-it will be flushed down the toilet like every other $$$$ that has been sent to this “non-profit”.
Sounds like usual business from this council.
Still pouring tax money into a rathole that shows no profit….and I bet it never will.
Profit it would be nice if it got close to breaking even
Maybe to the money pit 9 million in the red is an “ ah shucks that’s close enough for taxpayers money “ moment After all it’s not their money. I’d be curious to see how much the principals involved gave to the money pit out of their own pockets
The Greensboro History Museum has so much more to offer and it’s FREE. Go take a self guided tour and see what I mean
Don’t forget that Skippy is still getting his share of the museum money.
Unfortunately, we’ll end up with the same bunch of libtards running the govt’ and wasting our tax dollars.
Most folks are too wrapped up in themselves to pay attention to what is happening to our County & City and don’t have time to go vote these leaches out.