Greetings! Leaving the very sad story of Dania Hall out of this. . .
A short explanation of Seward's situation. Seward Neighborhood Group's (SNG) approved NRP plan totaled about $4.8 million. Contracts for all but about $48,000 are in place. SNG has about $100,000 of unspent dollars in existing contracts. Since approving its plan in 1993-94 SNG has abandoned some strategies where dollars were still allocated. The SNG Board approved plan modifications reallocating dollars from the abandoned strategies. Some of these modifications were not submitted to NRP in a timely manner. SNG has not spent NRP dollars that were not under contract. All NRP dollars must be contract before a neighborhood can be reimbursed for spending. SNG spent its own unrestricted funds on NRP activities, some of which it expects reimbursement for when plan modifications are completed. SNG has not completed its Phase II planning. Erik Riese Seward Neighborhood Group, Board Treasurer (For the long story call or write me. Number and e-mail below.) Victoria Heller wrote: > > "[Seward Neighborhood Group] needs to be more on top of their finances. Just > because there are dollars on the horizon, it doesn't mean they are there." > ......... from Jack Whitehurst, a NRP neighborhood specialist, as printed in the > September 2003 Seward Profile. > > The article states that the Seward Neighborhood Group (Scott Vreeland, president) > has been spending thousands of dollars of NRP funds - without a contract. > > Vicky Heller > Cedar-Riverside and North Oaks Barbara Lickness wrote: > > Vicky said: > > Would someone from the NRP translate Whitehurst's > statement above, and explain why the NRP hasn't > tightened up its financial controls yet? > > I say: > > Sewards issue is different. Seward is evidently > running low or out of funds to sustain the corporation > until they can access Phase II NRP funds or until they > receive funds from a foundation. NRP is not > responsible to ensure that any neighborhood > association in the city remains solvent. We are simply > one funder. NRP encourages neighborhoods to seek out > alternative sources of funding to sustain their > operations. Some neighborhoods are better at heeding > this message than others. We also strongly encourage > neighborhood associations to adopt fiscal management > policies that help them stay on top of their finances > so they can plan for or avert problems during the lean > times. NRP has offered and continues to offer several > training classes to train board members how to manage > their operations and financial affairs. We encourage > neighborhoods to prepare budgets and produce cash flow > projections so they know where they are at financially > at any time. This information should help them > determine whether they need to reduce staff and/or > reduce expenses. The projections should also help them > determine when or if it is appropriate to hire new > staff. > > Seward, Powderhorn Park and Whittier have all > completed Phase II NRP plans and have been "circling > the airport" waiting to land. While the city council > has decided to support Phase II of NRP, the funds are > not ready to be released and plans will continue to > line up waiting for council approval until all the > details of the financial agreement are completed. So > at this point, none of these organizations should be > spending money thinking that Phase II NRP funds will > cover the expenses. > > Whittier reduced it's staff compliment by two full > time positions some time back because they knew they > did not have the funds to sustain the organization at > the size it was at. I believe Powderhorn has also > reduced it's staff compliment. Both these > neighborhoods managed to budget their remaining Phase > I NRP funds and/or foundation grants in a way that is > keeping them solvent. Since Seward is not one of my > assigned neighborhoods, I don't know how they are > managing their financial picture. I know I was curious > when I saw them advertise to hire a new executive > director recently when they had very little Phase I > NRP funds left. I just figured they must have had > funds from another source to sustain them. While I > can't speak for Jack, I think he was saying that > Seward shouldn't be attempting to sustain their > organization with funds that aren't there yet. <SNIP> > Barb Lickness > Whittier > -- In cooperation, Erik Riese Seward: a great place to live, work, learn, and play! (612) 724-3217 home ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
