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Residents press council over possible taxpayer funding for Historic Onancock School parking
Summary
Public commenters and council discussion focused on whether the town should provide funds for a new Historic Onancock School (HOS) parking lot; residents cited the FOS lease that assigns maintenance responsibility to Friends of Onancock School and asked that nonprofit funding be consistent and transparent.
During public comment at the March 25 Onancock Town Council meeting, residents questioned whether the town should allocate public funds to a new parking lot at the Historic Onancock School (HOS) and asked for transparency about requests and equitable treatment of nonprofit organizations.
Patsy Felthousen read portions of the lease between the Friends of Onancock School (FOS) and the town and said the lease "states the town has no financial relationship with FOS," noting the lease assigns maintenance and repair responsibilities for the parking lot to FOS. Felthousen and other residents said they had heard council members privately requested specific funding amounts for HOS'including an allegation that Councilmember Nock asked Mayor Fosque and Town Manager Spuck for $850,000'which would bring total town funding for the school to $1,000,000 if combined with other suggested amounts.
Councilmember Sarah Nock responded in the meeting, calling the report that she requested $850,000 "utterly inaccurate." Mayor Fosque and Town Manager Spuck told residents that HOS had not formally submitted any request for funds for a new parking lot and that the Queen Street parking lot is the council's priority for downtown improvements.
Councilmember Brandon Brockmeier recommended establishing a transparent funding matrix so nonprofits can request funds and the council can objectively evaluate them; Councilmember Maphis Oswald emphasized funding regional nonprofits that serve the whole Eastern Shore such as the Eastern Shore Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
What comes next: No formal appropriation was made at the meeting. Council members said they would require formal funding requests from organizations and indicated they would consider a matrix or criteria for awarding town support.
