Greenfield Board Addresses Resolution for Donations

By Shannon Taylor

Associate Editor

During last month’s board meeting, a resolution to accept gifts and donations was tabled due to concerns raised by Alderwoman Kelly Keylon, who said that they had accepted gifts prior without a policy in place and questioned how they were able to do that. 

Keylon mentioned that City Attorney Beau Pemberton was also in attendance during that meeting. Keylon requested a month to look it over and compare it with other city’s ordinances. 

Keylon raised the question at October’s meeting about where the resolution came from. Mayor Cindy McAdams stated that they had to do it and Keylon said, “So it’s not based on the fact that somebody wants to donate a lot of money to re-do the Senior Citizens Center at all?” McAdams said that it was. 

“That would have probably been good to know,” Keylon stressed. 

Keylon questioned if the city had to have an ordinance in place to accept that funding and Jerica Spikes, city recorder, said that Pemberton spoke to MTAS and that he was told that it was a policy that most municipalities have.

Keylon said she checked in Dresden and Sharon, two cities she claimed did not have a donation-acceptance policy in place. “I’m trying to figure out if we’re putting ordinances in place just to have ordinances,” Keylon said. 

“I was also told by some of the potential donors that I personally was blocking that donation that I didn’t know anything about — per city hall, so I think we need to get the full story of what’s going on when we’re voting on stuff,” Keylon said. 

McAdams said that the donation was for the Park Pavilion and redoing the Senior Citizens building. Keylon continued to stress the difference between being required to have an ordinance or being recommended to have an ordinance. 

“I kind of want to back up about this funding because — is there a deadline we have to accept it by,” Keylon asked.

McAdams said, “If we don’t, I’m afraid they might back down.” 

Keylon put a motion on the floor to accept the donation without a donation-acceptance resolution in place, which Keylon stated was not required under the law or the city ordinance. The motion passed unanimously. 

It was announced during Greenfield’s October board meeting that police officer Jeff Matthews was promoted by Chief Danny Smith to Assistant Police Chief.

“He’s going to lighten the load for me and he’s going to do a good job,” Smith stated. 

The October Yard of the Month was awarded to Jeff and Nancy Rush on Holly Lane. Greenfield’s fifth-annual Trunk or Treat will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 4-6 p.m. on Front Street. 

The next monthly board meeting of Grenfield’s Mayor and Aldermen will be held Nov. 14 at 5:30 p.m.