Florence: Donation to fund-raiser sparks controversy
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
A seemingly brief agenda Monday evening for Florence City Council ballooned into a spirited discussion of community loyalties regarding a fund-raiser sponsored Sunday by Florence Fire Department.
Judy Creamer requested a spot on the agenda and addressed the mayor, council, and a group of a dozen interested citizens. Creamer asked fire chief Tim Parmley why Rick and Vickie Turner of Peabody Market had donated the food for the fire department pancake feed Sunday?
"I am very angry about this," she said. "Why does the fire department have to get food from a store in Peabody?"
"The man donated it, Judy. And the fire department — not just me, but the fire department — voted to accept it," said Parmley. "What am I supposed to do, turn him down?
"He (Turner) lives here and pays taxes here, it's his fire department too," Parmley added.
"I disagree with you," said Creamer. "As a community group the fire department needs to support businesses in THIS town. Why, when Rick knows we have a store here, does he donate to our fund-raisers?
"I can promise you it's not just because he wants to help us out," Creamer continued. "We just had a community meeting to see what we could do to save our grocery store and then we end up with a city-sponsored group going out of town for supplies."
Discussion of the need for local groups to shop locally took a detour when Creamer asked Parmley about the fire department maintaining a donation account at Peabody State Bank.
"The city auditor made the ambulance crew move their donation fund into a city fund," said Creamer. "I don't see why you get to keep yours in an out-of-town bank."
City clerk Darla Gore said the fund was supposed to have been moved, but never was.
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore where we shop or where we bank," said Parmley. "There won't be anymore fund-raisers for the fire department. We only had two council members and one local businessman support the pancake feed. The money we raised was only about half what we usually get. It's just not worth the hassle if the community won't support us."
Mayor Sue Klassen noted that community support probably would not have lagged if the department had kept their business in Florence. "You guys should have at least asked Wilbur (Carpenter)," Klassen said. "Not just taken from Peabody Market."
Councilman Ed Robinson agreed with Klassen and said he heard from a good number of townspeople who said the same thing.
The council reached no resolution on the matter. Creamer added the caveat that she would continue to support the fire department and encouraged the rest of the community to do so as well.
"I wanted to bring this up in the council meeting and say it in front of everyone," said Creamer. "I didn't want Tim to hear it on the street.
"I just want us all to support the businesses we have left."
In other business the council:
— heard from Americans with Disabilities Act compliance officer Del Leeds that an anonymous informal inquiry has been made about section 503 issues (blind reader issues) involving the city web site. Leeds distributed a press release and reviewed the city's options with the council. Councilman Randy Mills offered the opinion that since the complaint was anonymous and informal he was not in favor of taking any action. After further discussion Mills made a motion which passed unanimously to allow Leeds to proceed as needed to handle the issue as long as it is not cost prohibitive to make the city site ADA compliant.
— approved a $50 sponsorship for a city bowling team for a Big Brothers/Big Sisters fund-raiser.
— heard from Gore the city already has an ordinance prohibiting truck traffic on Eighth Street. She will contact the state and have them erect a sign at the Eighth Street exit on the roundabout.
— instructed city superintendent Phil Baldwin to get bids from county automobile dealers for a pickup meeting the city's specifications and present them at the next meeting.
— heard that Danny Kyle is on medical leave for several more weeks. Baldwin is filling in on the trash truck until he returns.
— refused a request for mileage reimbursement to Michelle Avis who will be attending a grant writing workshop in Wichita. Council also established guidelines with Avis for pursuing grants for the city.
