Tuesday's City Council meeting put a cap on gaming funds and solidified the financial future of the Boonville Community Foundation.
After weeks of debate, Boonville City Council agreed on a $240,000 cap on gaming revenue — six percent. A majority of the council approved of the funding cap at a previous meeting, but disagreement came with deciding an amount that was decided at Tuesday's meeting.
The city usually receives about $4 million in gaming revenue, so the cap set Tuesday night means no more than six percent of that sum — $240,000 — can be granted in 2012.
The decision was not without some discussion, as Second Ward Councilman Noah Heaton wanted to commit the YMCA, 757 3rd Street, to an extended period of funding. Others, such as Mark Livingston, took odds at this, finding the idea against the fund's own regulations.
"If we have a rule for one, we should have a rule for others," argued Livingston. He added that he was not against the YMCA's benefit for the community, but he wasn't in favor of singling out the YMCA as a benefactor.
"The Y shouldn't have been in this list anyway," said Heaton, arguing that other towns of similar size include their local YMCA more inclusively in their budgets and that other cities without casinos or gaming funds still contribute money to their local YMCA.
The issue passed, 5-3, with Livingston, Kathleen Conway and Henry Hurt against.
"As far as the cap is concerned, I am satisfied with the 6% figure, although I feel in the coming years we should continue to redefine the highest and best uses for these funds...as I believe we can share these funds in a much better and productive way," said Heaton in an email interview.
Heaton hopes to have the YMCA included in future discussions, as the organization largely benefits the community and would be put in a difficult spot if funding was altered.
"Our parks department would have to hire several employees to run just a handful of the services the Y provides the community and at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars in just salaries and benefits alone," said Heaton, "not to mention the cost of the programs themselves."
City Clerk Mary McAllister noted that only seven applications had been received for the grants. The deadline for application is Jan. 5 at 5 p.m.
