In Escambia County, the powerful have found a new way to deal with a situation when they don’t win votes to kill projects before the Tourist Development Council or the Board of County Commissioners – just lean on County Clerk Pam Childers. She will shut down the funding.
- The latest example is the Sacred Heart Foundation’s request for $250,000 to promote its Wine on the Water fundraiser (Agenda Item).
- On Dec. 17, the Tourists Development Council (TDC) approved the funding allocation for the new event, which aims to increase tourism in Escambia County. Earlier this month, the Board of County Commissioners also unanimously approved it.
WHY THIS MATTERS: The Sacred Heart Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Ascension Sacred Heart’s mission of providing compassionate, high-quality healthcare services to the community. The funds it raises contribute to the hospital system’s ability to provide approximately $16 million annually in charity care and $122 million in uncompensated care charges annually.
- It’s not difficult to see why the TDC and Escambia County Commission wanted to help them promote the event.
BUT PAM INTERVENES
However, Pam disagreed, picked apart the Miscellaneous Appropriations Agreement and mischaracterized the event. Rather than get into a political fight with the county clerk, the Sacred Heart Foundation withdrew its request last week.
In an email to County Attorney Alison Rogers and Commission Chairman Mike Kohler (Pam Refusal), Pam wrote:
“I’ve made some calls around the state, and I did not get any comfort that this event would qualify under scrutiny. I will accept the short snippet of ‘tourism’ expressed on the dais last night. However, I cannot pay under the current MAA (Miscellaneous Appropriations Agreement). The proposed MAA is written as a general funding agreement with ‘public purpose’ and ‘health, safety, and general welfare” findings. The Board did not make those findings. WW (Wine on the Water) is not receiving funding to promote health, safety, and general welfare under a public purpose.”
How is not raising money for those who cannot afford healthcare and saving newborns’ lives not promoting health?
Pam claimed the auditor would reject the funding and force the foundation to repay the money because “we do not pay for alcohol, and this is a ‘wine’ event.”
HOFBERGER CHIMES IN
Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger brought up the same point at the TDC meeting last week when the panel discussed getting Pam’s office to develop a checklist for funding requests.
“Melanie (Luna) in my office was also working with the clerk’s office on almost a quick reference guide,” Hofberger said. “So, for example, one of the last things that came up is you absolutely can’t buy alcohol.”
CORRECTING MISINFORMATION
All the wine and alcohol for Wine on the Water will be donated. Pam and Ashlee would have known if they had called the foundation.
- Also, the Walton County TDC does not have a problem promoting events that involve alcohol. It supports several such events that raise funds for nonprofits, including a Bloody Mary Festival that raises funds for Habitat for Humanity of Walton County and other charities.
- Apparently, Pam’s “calls around the state” didn’t include Northwest Florida.
Alcohol is served at several Escambia County events that receive TDC funds, including Pensacola Mardi Gras.
IRONY OF PAM & ASHLEE’S POSITION
At the same meeting at which the Sacred Foundation withdrew its request, Pam went through verbal gymnastics to figure out how to give $1 million to the Gen. Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Foundation for its monument and plaza honoring the war hero.
- The TDC rejected the group’s request for $1 million. TDC Chairman David Bear informed the commissioners that the statute concerning the tourist development tax does not permit the construction of a plaza. Only convention centers, sports stadiums and arenas, aquariums, and museums are allowed.
However, Pam and the commissioners wanted to give the nonprofit $1 million, so they circumvented the law.
“When I first looked at this, I immediately thought this is an open-air museum,” Pam proclaimed. “It is the legislative finding that you need to make. This is tourism, to get off ground zero.”
To date, no one has overruled the clerk. Her decisions are arbitrary and appear to please unknown persons.
WHY DIDN’T ASHLEE FIGHT FOR SACRED HEART?
The most puzzling element of this bizarre political attack on the Sacred Heart Foundation is:
- Why did Commissioner Ashlee Hofberger not fight for a nonprofit in her district that saves lives daily as hard as fellow Commissioners Mike Kohler and Steve Stroberger fought for the Chappie James Foundation?
Kohler, Stroberger and Pam devised a workaround—calling the plaza an “open-air museum,” which an auditor may or may not accept—so that $1 million could be spent.
Commissioner Hofberger did nothing for Wine on the Water, which led to the Sacred Heart Foundation withdrawing its request after receiving approval from both the TDC and BCC.
Why did Hofberger join Pam in putting out misinformation that the TDC funds would be spent on alcohol at Wine on the Water?
- And is an “open-air” museum more important to her district than health care for families and newborns?