First America Foundation to give remaining money to city
Group to disband, drop plans for 450th anniversary
First America Foundation Inc., the group set up to lead commemorative efforts for St. Augustine's 450th anniversary, will cease operations on June 30 and give the money it has left to the city, according to foundation officials.
The foundation's executive committee met Monday with City Manager John Regan and other city officials to formally terminate the contract for services for the 450th commemoration initiative.
"We had a very positive meeting with the city. We really shared with them so that they can move forward," said Christine Chapman, vice chair of the foundation who took over as chairwoman two weeks ago. "We want to do everything we can to advance planning for the ongoing commemoration. It's our city as well."
By the end of business today, the foundation will transfer $150,000 to the city of St. Augustine, and any remaining balance will be transferred to the city within 30 days of the June 30 closing, she said.
The foundation started up with $275,000 from the city plus another $25,000 given the City by Tidewater Skanska, the company that renovated the Bridge of Lions.
Chapman said the foundation's treasurer Matt Baker is working with its CPA firm to compile final figures.
She called the $150,000 a "conservative figure" and said final bills will be paid out of the remaining money with whatever is left over being returned to the city.
The foundation also is turning over files, project and sponsor data, forms and plans, institutional knowledge and programs already in development, such as the Youth Ambassador Program.
Comments (6)
$$$ GET THOSE INDICTMENTS READY FOR SERVICE
they pissed away half of 300 k and did nothing !!! now that is criminal !!! what,, if anything,, besides spending our money,,, did they do since inception ???and whoever approved this waste of taxpayer dollars,,, should be fired a.s.a.p. !!!!>>>>yathink
Absolutely appalling on so many levels!
Absolutely appalling on so many levels!
They are going to GIVE the remaining money to the city? You mean give the city back what is left of the money they wasted?
City of St. Augustine residents pay one of the highest tax rates in the country and, instead of using our tax money to maintain the city whose streets are flooding and crumbling and filthy, they write a huge check to a sham organization.
This group was formed specifically so that they did not have to operate in the "Sunshine" so city residents would not know what was going on. The majority of these people are NOT residents of the city, including Ms. Chapman. Yet they are charged with spending our money and spend it they did.
How can anyone expect the residents to support this?
Supposedly set up to raise money, they have lost over $100,000 dollars of OUR money. This must be criminal! I really think we need an Unbiased investigation into this and other city matters.
I would like a detailed accounting of every penny!
better check your facts RC Partners,
Yes, they probably wasted money. ...and it is unfortunate they are quitting while not having completed the job. However, We are nowhere even close to the highest tax rates in the country
http://moneywatch.bnet.com/economic-news/blog/daily-money/counties-in-th...
Keep checking, and you will find Florida has some of the lowest taxes anywhere with services that rank mid to upper mid level nationwide. This means that our state does more work with less money.
For that, I want to thank all the county, state, and local workers as well as those in our number 1 school district. Great job folks! Keep it up and I will gladly keep paying my taxes on time.
Thank you sir, may I have another?
The dust hasn’t even settled from this fiasco and one of the founding partners is already back with “great ideas.” Why didn’t he put these ideas through his own foundation? Could it be that he might not have personally benefitted if it went through FAF? or did he know that the organization was doomed to fail from the start and waited until it collapsed to bring these things forward? No matter what the real reason, the city is welcoming him and his ideas with open arms. It doesn’t appear that the City is interested in investigating anything but rather they will give the founders a pat on the back and ask them how else they can spend more money.
http://www.historiccity.com/2011/staugustine/news/florida/ideas-stimulat...
Were either of the two founders (Don Wallis and Colin Bingham) at this meeting to “give back” the money? Who is on the executive committee negotiating the money return since the Chairman, Don Wallis, and Secretary, Leslee Keys, have stepped down from those positions?
Pretty sad reporting considering an organization just squandered more than $100,000 of tax payer money. Just a recap of a press release?
Sweet gig. Promise to do a
Sweet gig. Promise to do a job, sit on your backside for a few months, return a little money and keep six figures. Only in St. Augustine.
Vilano Cares...........
First of all I said "One of" the highest tax rates. Compared to numbers in the link that you posted we are still near the top. You may want to consider also that most of the cities with the higher rates have top notch maintenance services and expensive public transportation. You must not live within the city limits if you do not think 21.7603 mills is a high tax(As compared to Vilano at 15.3 mills).
Also, if you think that wasting over $100,000 and accomplishing nothing is just "unfortunate", I would guess that you are probably employed by the government in some capacity.
Instead of hiring someone qualified to do this job they set up a sham organization of "PROFESSIONAL BOARD MEMBERS" who sit on practically every board in town. They should return every penny of the $300k.