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Resident proposes voluntary fund for a recreation building; council flags accounting rules
Summary
A Wellsville resident proposed a voluntary 'recreational gratification fund' to finance a recreation building; council members said donations normally need a designated purpose and recommended creating a separate capital fund for tracking and maintenance.
Resident Tracy Boudreau proposed establishing a voluntary "recreational gratification fund" to accept donations for a new recreation building in Wellsville, offering to distribute flyers and to make an initial $5 donation.
Boudreau cited a historical example: a tabernacle built in the early 1900s with a reported cost of $65,000, and said a rough online inflation calculation put today’s equivalent near $2,000,000. A council member asked follow‑up questions about the year and how the historical fundraising was structured; Boudreau said records on the timeline of the historic campaign were not clear.
Council members welcomed the idea but raised legal and accounting concerns. One council member said donations are typically required to be for a specific purpose for tax and accounting reasons, calling it "an accounting nightmare" to accept unspecified donations. Staff recommended establishing a separate capital fund to accept and track donations and reminded the council to plan for maintenance and upkeep if a building is constructed.
No vote was taken to create the fund; the council directed staff to review how such a fund could be set up and how donated funds would be accounted for.
