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Council asks city manager to renegotiate DGDC MOU after members request financial reporting and in-kind accounting
Summary
Councilmembers asked the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation's nonprofit and city staff to quantify in-kind city support and provide annual financial reporting; the council directed City Manager Matt Livingston to negotiate text changes and return a revised memorandum of understanding.
Goldsboro City Councilmembers asked the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation (DGDC) and city staff to produce clearer documentation of the partnership's financial and in-kind support and asked the city manager to negotiate revisions to a proposed memorandum of understanding.
Erin (DGDC executive director) and DGDC board members outlined the nonprofit's role as the nonprofit arm of the city's Main Street program and described volunteer and financial contributions to downtown programming. Erin said the DGDC has provided 34,501 volunteer hours equating to an estimated $904,169 of value and that the nonprofit's funds go directly into downtown initiatives.
"The DGDC solely exists to support the city," Erin said, describing the quasi public-private partnership. She said the nonprofit and city have worked in close coordination for decades and that much reporting is already available to council upon request.
Councilwoman Brandy Weeks recommended several changes to the MOU text, including shortening the MOU term from five years to 12-18 months with an evaluation at the end of that period; requiring annual financial reports on the nonprofit's budget and actuals; and documenting the city's in-kind contributions. She argued the council should know the city's full investment so it can compare downtown investments with other community needs.
Several council members and the city manager supported the idea of additional transparency. One council member suggested that council appointees to the DGDC board could provide regular reports back to the city council. Others noted the DGDC already submits an annual impact report and state/national Main Street statistics, and DGDC board and staff said members maintain an open-door policy and that financial documents, minutes and 990 filings are available on request.
After discussion, the council did not vote on the MOU. Instead, the mayor asked City Manager Matt Livingston to take the suggested changes back to the DGDC board, its treasurer and staff, and return a revised draft to the council at the council's second meeting in August.
Erin said she was open to quantifying staff time and in-kind contributions but warned against imposing undue financial reporting burdens on the nonprofit that would reduce funds available for downtown programming. Council members and staff agreed to pursue a solution that balances transparency and nonprofit capacity.
The MOU will be revised and circulated for council review before a future vote.
