The City of Kissimmee worked through its annual process of providing nonprofit groups grants, and when it ended last week, the city decided to set aside an extra $27,000 to the city’s cold nights program, to directly pay for hotel rooms for the homeless on winter nights when the wind chill nears freezing.
But, it wasn’t a unanimous vote of commissioners, including Mayor Olga Gonzalez.
A group she started decades ago, the Church and Community Assistance Program, had asked for $75,000 from the pool of $350,000 the city annually offers to local organizations to receive grants for those in need — all they need to do is apply.
There were 10 applications from groups who asked for a total of $496,000, so difficult decisions had to be made at the city level.
What became a problem for some with the city was that the information on CCAP’s application, turned in at the deadline, still contained Gonzalez’s address and information, creating the appearance of conflict of interest. This was despite Gonzalez’s pleas that she’s been donating to and working for it for 25 years.
“When I became mayor I was willing to step down and hand it over to other people. I’ve been supporting it for 25 years,” she said. “Look for who’s doing the work, not who’s asking for the money.
“It’s an organization that’s feeding 1,300 families a month. I am sorry to say, you are doing harm to a whole lot of families that are being fed. You’re taking away from people who are receiving.
Commissioner Janette Martinez said she choose not to vote for CCAP receiving its request due to the controversial nature of the application.
“No doubt the organization you founded is doing a great job. I know there’s the matter of whether you are still in charge of the organization,” she said. “When you are no longer in that chair and you take back the organization you founded, you come back and request services.”
Earlier in the Oct. 18 meeting, Commissioner Carlos Alvarez made a motion to transfer the entire pool of grant funding into the city’s general fund to provide relief for neighborhoods who experienced flooding during Hurricane Ian. But Commissioner Angela Eady said doing so could create legal problems, and the organizations receiving social service and quality of life grants also directly help those residents.
