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Chamber and VFW leaders tussle publicly over meeting space and alleged funding claims
Summary
During public comment, the Hope Mills Chamber vice president said a scheduling dispute at VFW Post 10630 escalated to an email claiming the VFW received town funding; the VFW and town manager said the town does not pay the VFW and that committee meeting locations had been previously approved by the board.
A public exchange at the May 4 Hope Mills board meeting highlighted tensions over committee meeting space and an email that chamber leaders said suggested the VFW was receiving town funds.
Joanne Skola, speaking for the incoming Hope Mills Chamber leadership, said the chamber has temporarily relocated to VFW Post 10630 and described an April 14 scheduling overlap between the chamber and the Homeless Advisory Committee that later led to an email suggesting the town pays the VFW for meetings. "There was an email distribution among the board members saying that... the VFW is receiving funding from the town, which is not true," she said, adding chamber members felt disrespected by how the matter was discussed.
Jim Morris, outgoing commander of VFW Post 10630, told the board the post hosts numerous community groups and receives no compensation for that support. "We receive no compensation for our generosity," Morris said, and described the post’s long record of supporting scouts, veterans, nonprofit meetings and town committees.
Commissioner Hamilton recounted arriving at the VFW on April 14 and later receiving a text saying the town was paying the post for meetings; she said the message and later emails were disrespectful. The town manager said staff had investigated and clarified that the town is not paying the VFW and that the full board had approved committee meeting locations for the year, including the VFW. The manager and mayor urged better communication between volunteer groups and staff to avoid future misunderstandings.
No formal vote or disciplinary action occurred at the meeting. Commissioner Hamilton indicated she planned to move the homeless advisory committee’s meetings to the EOC for greater control, but the manager and other commissioners noted the EOC and rec-center rooms had limited availability and that committees normally bring recommendations to the full board for approval.
