The Warren County Nonprofit Review Committee met on Tuesday to review requests made by nonprofits during an application process to prepare its recommendation to the full commission for approval as part of the 2024-25 fiscal budget.

The first motion of deliberations was made by Commissioner Michael Bell to not exceed last year’s total nonprofit contribution of $401,500, which was seconded by Commissioner Scott Rubley. Commissioner Steven Helton motioned to remove any nonprofits who did not send in applications this year from the list of recipients which received a second from Commissioner Christy Ross and was approved unanimously. It was further decided, through a motion presented by Commissioner Carl E. Bouldin and seconded by Commissioner Tommy Savage, to spread the leftover funds not yet appropriated to nonprofits at the end of deliberations to the county’s volunteer fire departments.

Included in the decisions were the following recommended allocations:

• Magness Library - $140,000 (Mandatory maintenance of effort)

Bouldin voted nay to the motion to approve the library’s contribution, but the measure passed.

• Sister Cities - $0

Sister Cities requested and received a $0 recommendation because it had not yet resumed operation and applied simply to stay on file with the county.

• McMinnville-Warren County Senior Center - $35,000

Ross abstained from voting on the Senior Center’s motion as she holds a seat on the organization’s board.

• American Red Cross - $0

• McMinnville Special Games - $10,000

• Black History Museum of Warren County - $0

• Heritage Alliance of McMinnville - $0

The committee chose to not provide funding for both the Black History Museum of Warren County as well as the Heritage Alliance Museum as Rubley reasoned he felt it was more appropriate as a venture for the Tourism Development Board to fund due to it being used to generate tourism. The measure was seconded by Bouldin and passed with approval from all but Commissioner Blaine Wilcher who voted nay.

• Caring Hearts United - $2,000

• Families in Crisis - $8,500

Wilcher abstained from voting on Families in Crisis’s contribution as he sits on its board.

• Homeless of McMinnville Effort - $0

The committee was not provided complete paperwork from Homeless of McMinnville Effort and Bouldin motioned to remove it as it did not provide a complete and whole application to the county. Commissioner Ron Lee seconded the motion. Rubley pointed out he did not approve of giving funding to organizations which did not submit complete applications.

• Main Street McMinnville - $6,000

• McMinnville-Warren Chamber of Commerce - $7,000 (In addition to $5,500 in annual dues)

Bell recommended an amendment to include the annual dues from the county in the total amount which received a nay from Ross and Wilcher, but it ultimately passed.

• Pregnancy Care Center of McMinnville - $5,000

• Retired Senior Program - $0

• Warren County A&L Fair - $18,000

Helton abstained on the vote for Warren County A&L Fair’s donation because he is on the Fair Board.

• Warren County Emergency Food Bank - $0

• Meals on Wheels - $22,000

Rubley abstained on the vote due to Meals on Wheels not providing a fund balance in its application, but noted he respected the work they do. The commission ultimately approved the amount for the nonprofit. 

• Rescue Squad - $28,500

• Young Men United - $2,000

• Centertown Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• Collins River Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• Harrison Ferry Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• Morrison Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• North Warren Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• Viola Community Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

• Campaign/Rock Island Volunteer Fire Department - $19,642.85

While Viola Volunteer Fire Department did not provide an application with all information, the committee ultimately voted to still award it the funding. Rubley abstained from the vote as he had previously expressed a reluctance to include any nonprofits which did not furnish all requested information.

These recommended monetary awards will not be final until the county’s budget is formally accepted in June by the full commission. It will be reviewed at the next Finance Committee meeting scheduled for June 3 at 5:30 p.m.