Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Memorial topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board discusses Tonkin memorial; trustees urge community-led foundation revival rather than district funding
Summary
Board members discussed the Tonkin Monument project and suggested reactivating the Tonkin Foundation (a community 501(c)(3)) to lead fundraising and project management. Trustees said the district should not use school funds for a community memorial and asked to review foundation bylaws and status.
Fremont County School District #25 trustees discussed a community initiative to create a Tonkin memorial on district grounds during their Jan. 27 meeting and said they prefer a community-led nonprofit — not district general funds — to manage fundraising and construction.
Why it matters: Board members emphasized that district resources are intended for education and said a community nonprofit would better receive donations and manage memorial planning.
Discussion details Joel (board member) confirmed that the Tonkin Foundation, a 501(c)(3) created previously to support the monument, still exists in some legal form but is not currently active. Board discussion noted that the foundation’s remaining balance is approximately $3,300 and that the foundation will need modernizing (bylaws, IRS filings such as Form 990) and a functioning board to accept and spend donated funds.
Trustees said they were not comfortable using district general funds for a civic memorial. "We can't see it spending school district money for something that doesn't benefit the children of the school district," one trustee said. Board members suggested reconstituting the foundation’s board, soliciting community volunteers, and restoring nonprofit filings so that community donations can be collected and disbursed by the foundation rather than by the school district.
Next steps suggested - Locate and review the Tonkin Foundation bylaws and tax-filing status (Form 990 history). - Recruit community members to serve on a reconstituted foundation board. - Transfer existing foundation funds to a revived foundation account if the nonprofit is brought current and a community board is established.
Ending Board members agreed the memorial is a community project and asked administration to provide foundation records and any required steps to restore nonprofit status; no formal vote or district appropriation was taken.
