Finance panel creates extension policy for community grants and approves Elks Lodge request

The Skagway finance committee on Feb. 4 recommended a resolution that would allow limited extensions for community funding grants in ‘‘extraordinary circumstances’’ and voted to grant an extension request from the Elks Lodge (Oaks Lodge No. 431), contingent on assembly approval of the new policy.

Chair Potter said the resolution, drafted by Treasurer Rodig and reviewed by legal counsel, creates an extension process while preventing organizations with unresolved prior awards from receiving new funds. Treasurer Rodig explained the existing process: grantees who have not expended their awards must return unspent funds, which are recorded as a receivable in the prior fiscal year and then placed back into the general fund. "If they haven't spent their money, then they would cut a check back to the municipality," Rodig said, describing the accounting burden of returns as more onerous than allowing limited extensions.

Andrew Carmata, a trustee representing the Elks Lodge, described delays obtaining approval from the organization’s Grand Lodge and securing contractor estimates; he said the lodge has already paid half the electrician’s cost and hopes to complete work in February or April. Committee members discussed whether the finance committee has authority to grant an extension absent explicit code language; the clerk advised there is neither a prohibition nor explicit authority in current code. The committee moved to grant the Elks’ extension contingent on the assembly adopting the proposed extension resolution; after a recorded discussion and voice votes the committee approved the extension.

The committee also clarified that unspent community grant funds returned to the municipality become general-fund receipts and do not automatically increase the community-grant allocation for the following year. Staff will bring the final resolution language to the assembly for consideration.