Friday, August 13, 2010

Community Center finances

Concern is swirling, albeit quietly for now, surrounding the apparent lack of information available concerning usage and financial reporting for the Alexandria Community Center complex. The complex includes a separate building which is also utilized for rental use.

Apparently the city is unable or unwilling to supply a list of users, dates of use and fees collected for each use.

The Community Center plan is supposed to be that it would be self-sustaining and the tax-payers would not be subsidizing its private use. The city employs two dedicated employees for the Community Center.

Some questions are:

  • Does every user pay a fee and if so is the fee paid uniform for all users?
  • Does the city permit the center to be used for profit making endeavors thereby subsidizing a business with tax-payer funds?
  • Who collects the fees and how is the money distributed?
  • Are there procedures in place for accounting and double checking the results?
  • Is the operation audited at least annually?

These are legitimate questions and the city should be able and willing to supply this information. After all, the Community Center complex is tax-payer owned and funded.

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Alexandria Mayor/Council Ballot

Here is the ballot for the November 2, 2010 election.