In September, Marathon City Council spent $50,000 in taxpayer money to fund three nonprofits.
The first $25,000 went to the Guidance Care Clinic of the Middle Keys to help with renovations. That was proposed by Councilman Dan Zieg, who is running for re-election, at the council meeting on Sept. 10. He said the money would be a good-faith gesture from the city to an institution that serves its populace. Councilman Mark Senmartin, who is serving his third and final term, disagreed with the proposal at the same meeting, and mentioned the failed funding for splash park plans, which Senmartin had proposed. The Guidance Care Clinic donation was brought up at a regular council meeting, and then ratified by the board at a budget hearing two days later on Sept. 12
At the final budget hearing, on Sept. 19, Senmartin came back with a nonprofit funding request of his own for $25,000 — $10,000 for the Marathon High School drama club and $15,000 for the Marathon Rec Center.
Senmartin’s motion passed unanimously as well.
The only documentation provided in either scenario came from Senmartin. He provided an open (with no addressee) solicitation letter signed by the head of the drama club outlining plans for a student field trip to New York City in 2020.
It is unclear whether there are any “strings” attached to the funds, i.e., requirements for how the nonprofits should spend the money once it’s awarded. The Weekly asked for clarification from the city.
Zieg is open about his relationship with the founder of Guidance Care.
“I believe Monroe County Commissioner David Rice has donated some and in times when he and I visit socially I had mentioned that I would take it before City Manager Chuck (Lindsey) and then (Lindsey) suggested I bring it up at the council meeting,” Zieg wrote in an email on Sept. 16.
Senmartin also acknowledged that one of his children is currently active in the drama club, and both children previously attended the after-school program at the Marathon Rec Center. On Sept. 24, Senmartin explained his reasons for supporting the Marathon High School drama club and Marathon Rec Center.
“I know the Marathon Rec Center has a $12,000 funding shortfall. Ask me if I want to support kids and the answer is yes; it’s a no-brainer,”
Mark Senmartin .
Before Hurricane Irma, the City of Marathon regularly funded local nonprofits to the tune of about $100,000 annually. The nonprofits were invited to apply, were ranked, and the council voted. After Hurricane Irma, the council decided it was too cash-strapped to continue supporting local nonprofits.
So going forward, how does Senmartin think the city should fund nonprofits?
“Oh, that’s hard. Before, I would get a five-inch think stack of paperwork from all the nonprofits that applied with supporting documentation like funding sources, payroll. It took me weeks of reading through all of this and stress because it’s a hard thing to decide who is going to get money — and it probably ends up being the charity you like best for whatever reasons. Probably the fairest way is to have nonprofits apply like they used to … stress out over the whole thing, and come up with something that is workable for everybody. I don’t know.”
And, going forward, how does Zieg think the city should fund nonprofits?
“I don’t think we should,” Zieg said. “I never liked the idea. (Nonprofit funding) is like saying the citizens of Marathon are not smart enough to know how to give money to nonprofits. Everyone’s individual decision would be involved in that.”
Then he acknowledged his donation and philosophy are opposing ideas.
“The reason I gave to the Guidance Care Clinic is because they have been a fixture in our community for so many years. And the city can leverage its money with a bill being proposed by Rep. Holly Raschein. I was a reserve deputy for 10 years, and I have a special place in my heart for facilities that provide mental health care and suicide prevention.”
Both Zieg and Senmartin said in interviews and at public meetings that the other’s cause should not be funded by the city because the parent organization (Monroe County School District for Senmartin’s pledge to the drama club, and Monroe County for Zieg’s pledge to the clinic) has “more money than we do.”
