The Wildwood City Council might amend the city’s sign law to allow some nonprofits, such as the Pond Athletic Association, to sell and post sponsorship banners such as those shown.
A subcommittee of Wildwood’s City Council is set to develop guidelines that could allow some nonprofit agencies to apply for grant money from the city.
The council voted to take that action during a work session on Oct. 27 after some of its members disagreed over a request to provide a long-term funding commitment to the Pond Athletic Association.
Joe Vujnich, the city’s director of planning and parks, told the council that PAA representatives recently submitted a request to the council’s planning/economic development/parks subcommittee for funding for the 2015 season and the next nine subsequent years.
Last year, the city provided the PAA with $10,400 in support of its training league members – children ages 2-5 – who are Wildwood residents.
The 2015 request is for $25,000, the same amount provided to PAA in 2013, which was the organization’s 50th anniversary and during which Wildwood was a major sponsor of activities. The funding in 2013 also helped the organization to allow any child who wanted to play with PAA do so for free.
Despite the request, the subcommittee once again recommended an allocation of $10,400 to be used for Wildwood children in the training league in 2015.
City codes prevent entering into long-term agreements, Vujnich said.
PAA officials have said that lighting and other infrastructure improvement needs at their aging ballpark facility need funding that they are unable to raise, especially since Wildwood sign regulations prevent the posting of sponsorship banners that could provide revenue. PAA officials said that economic hardship could be offset by increased donations to the organization from the city and a long-term financial commitment.
“But if we fund them, where do we draw the line?” Councilmember David Sewell (Ward 6) asked. “We would be setting a bad precedent if we do that. Are we funding other not-for-profits? This is a slippery slope.”
Vujnich agreed. “We don’t want to create a situation we’d regret in the future,” he said.
City Attorney Rob Golterman said the city is limited in what it can do to fund a private organization.
“I have misgivings about funding one nonprofit over others,” Councilmember Greg Stine (Ward 7) said.
But Councilmember Sue Cullinane (Ward 3) said the PAA could derive extra funding if Wildwood would allow the organization to put up sponsorship banners in the outfield, something that Vujnich said had been allowed before 1995 when Wildwood incorporated.
A temporary variance approved by the city’s Board of Adjustment in 2013 for Pond’s 50th anniversary allowed banner sponsorships, which raised almost $30,000 that year, Vujnich said.
“Lafayette High School also would like to be able to put up sponsorship banners to raise money for their programs,” he added.
With the council approving the action of looking into allowing nonprofits to put up sponsorship banners and earn revenue from doing so, Vujnich said a proposal could go before the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission as early as this year to amend the city’s sign laws.
Noting that other nonprofits might come to the city with similar requests, Councilmember Jim Bowlin (Ward 6) suggested devising objective standards that the council could use in approving or rejecting any funding proposals from nonprofits.
“To be proactive, we need to set aside an open pool of grant money that nonprofits benefiting our residents could apply for as long as they follow that set of guidelines,” Sewell added.
