MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Monday, October 14, at their formal meeting, the Montgomery County Commission voted on a resolution that would provide $130,000 of funding for United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region. Resolution 19-10-4 failed to pass with nine commissioners voting yes and 10 voting no (no commissioners abstained from the vote).

The resolution to to continue providing $130,000 of annual funding to the organization was originally brought before the Commission in July, when it failed to pass. Last week, District 5 Commissioner Rashidah Leverett again proposed a resolution, stating that United Way provides support to much needed programs and local nonprofits in the community.

CC Carmack-Wheeler, executive director of Urban Ministries, a partner organization to United Way, was in attendance at last night’s meeting to accept a proclamation declaring the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Montgomery County. While accepting the proclamation, Carmack-Wheeler spoke in support of United Way.

Urban Ministries receives funding and support from United Way.

“Well, the vote obviously was disappointing because all of the funding being considered stays right here in Montgomery County and benefits local people. The reality is that if agencies like Urban Ministries and other social service agencies don’t receive the funding we need, someone will have to step up and take up that slack, and that will inevitably be government,” said Carmack-Wheeler after the vote. “I just hope that from here on we see more citizens in the community stepping up both to contribute their time and their financial resources to all of the partner agencies to United Way.”

The resolution which removed United Way from the budget was initially proposed by District 15 Commissioner David Harper. He spoke in opposition to last night’s resolution in remarks prior to the vote.

“United Way is a great company, we appreciate what they do in the community; however, the majority of my constituents are opposed to actually funding a non profit through their tax dollars,” said Harper after the meeting. “That’s basically the principal at play here. It has nothing to do with United Way and what they do. It has everything to do with the way we fund non-profits.”

Valerie Guzman, Ward 4 Councilwoman and CEO of United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region, along with CC Carmack-Wheeler, remarked on the increased need for private citizens to support non-profit organizations like United Way and its partners.

“Giving on a national level is down in general, so I hope we see a resurgence in donations as a result of this,” said Carmack-Wheeler. “I think that people have to stop thinking of the partner agencies as charities and recognizing us as social service agencies that meet needs in the community that won’t be met anywhere else.

There’s such a good feeling about giving and serving others. When we boil it down to the dollar, then we miss the human,” said Guzman at July’s initial vote. “We need you, no matter what it is, your time, talent and your treasures. We need your help, our community needs your help.

Video recording of Tuesday’s Commission meeting can be found here. Discussion of Resolution 19-10-4 begins at approximately the 23 minute mark.