Hamilton County Commissioners scrap new nonprofit financial rules

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – The county commission’s effort to get non-profit agencies, and the convention bureau to use Hamilton County accounting policies, has been scrapped.

With a 7-to-2 vote this morning, the resolution of 4 weeks ago was rescinded.

Commissioner Tim Boyd’s idea to keep a closer watch on how county funds are being used at first seemed like a good idea. His first target was the Tourist and Convention Bureau which gets all of the county’s income from the hotel/motel tax.

Director Bob Doak, who’s agency will receive about 8-million dollars this year, said the new policy would give away trade secrets.

Commissioner Randy Fairbanks says “Some things that came to light after that vote …uh, was taken..uh..3 or 4 weeks ago..is that the complications that were involved in them..and adhering to some of those.”

Commissioner Boyd told us it was an effort to keep accountability and transparency when it comes to spending taxpayer money.

“Some of the non profits uh were happy to adhere to some of the things that we wanted them to do..the accountability process. It was some of the, uh, purchasing procedures and stuff they said was almost impossible for them to follow ..that was the problem.” said, Commissioner Fairbanks.

Director of the Humane Educational Society Bob Citrullo says, “It would be very, very difficult to attempt to get 3 vendors when you’re standing in the lobby with a dog with a leg hanging off ..hit by a car. I don’t have time to make , you know, those decisions–we need to do it immediately to save lives.”

Boyd tired to save the resolution by offering to change the contribution amount from 25-percent to those organizations that get 100-thousand dollars of county money, but it failed.

Citrullo says he and his board are relieved.

Bob Citrullo stated, ” I think, you know, I’m assuming they took a much deeper look at the resolution and how it affected multiple organizations across our county…and there’s really…well I want to commend them for taking a stand and doing the right thing in resending the resolution.”