Board president states funds were mismanaged

By Lauren Brown
Burns Times-Herald

Boys & Girls Club of Harney County Board President Ron Wulff said that, with the departure of Chief Professional Officer Ruby Bottom, the board has discovered some worrisome budget issues at the Sept. 17 Harney County Court meeting.

Wulff requested $8,600 in emergency aid from the county in order to get the club through the next two pay periods.

In a written overview of the situation, Wulff wrote, “The current financial status shows an inability to make the club’s monthly expenses due on Sept. 30.”

The overview went on to state that the board had become too dependent on the Chief Professional Officer (CPO) and, with her departure, found a lack of a check and balance system. “The consequence of this is that the club has been mismanaged financially,” Wulff told the county court.

Wulff said the board has taken a number of steps to cut costs. These include reducing personnel hours, closing the teen house, eliminating cable TV, closing a storage shed, eliminating bank fees and looking at ways to save energy. Wulff stated that he had gone through the club’s budget line item by line item looking for places to cut.

However, even with all the measures the board has taken to minimize operating expenses, Wulff said the club is still in need of about $8,600 to make it through the next two pay periods.

After that, the club will start its annual fund-raising campaign. Other revenue generating events will include the Diamond in a Glass dinner/auction, the Burns/Hines run/walk, a haunted house, a monthly indoor yard sale and golf tournament.

In the strategic plan submitted to the court, Wulff wrote, “With the new focus of the board, we are confident the club will not only survive but prosper and grow with the community.”

County Judge Steve Grasty thanked Wulff for his presentation and all the work he has done on the club’s budget. “I don’t want to see the Boys & Girls Club go away,” Grasty said. “By the same token, I’m not sure where we can come up with $8,600.”

Commissioner Dan Nichols stated that in private business if one can’t pay the bills, they shut down for a while. Nichols also said that while the club is an important part of the community, it shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of the taxpayers to fund it.

Wulff agreed that shutting the club’s doors for a few weeks would be an option, but it wouldn’t reflect well on the club.

“There’s a pretty big group of kids who won’t have anything to do,” Grasty said.

The Boys & Girls Club of Harney County has a membership of 367 kids. Daily attendance ranges from 20 to 55 children. The club is open every day after school and most of the day on Fridays.

Wulff stated that as the board looks at potential CPO candidates for the club, it is hoping to hire someone with grant writing experience. Grant money would be another way to help fund the club during the leaner months of the year.

Wulff stated that he would be giving a presentation to the Harney Partners for Kids and Families meeting later that day.

Judge Grasty asked Wulff to make his presentation there and then report back to the court in the afternoon.

After breaking for lunch, the court reconvened and heard an update from Wulff on that presentation to Harney Partners, which offered the club $2,000. He said this would help considerably in getting the club through the next pay period.

Wulff said he also found out about some other potential funding out in the community. However, he noted that he would still like to request about $4,000 from the county to help the club get through this lean period.

Judge Grasty said he wasn’t opposed to giving the club some money, but Nichols requested that Wulff give the court some time to think on the request.