Commissioners’ grants can help if used properly

The 13 Shelby County commissioners have allocated themselves $100,000 each for grants to nonprofit organizations or community enhancement projects.

If administered properly, the newly established grant fund is a good way for the commissioners to let county government have a direct impact in the commission’s 13 districts.

The resolution on rules for distributing the money passed in the budget and finance committee last week. Commissioner Mark Billingsley was the only commissioner to vote against the resolution, which was approved 9-1.

After listening to County Attorney Ross Dyer answer a barrage of questions from commissioners on what would and would not be allowable, Billingsley said the resolution was “fraught” with complexities. He has a good point. Other legislative bodies have approved similar programs over the years, with some of those ventures evolving into politically motivated slush funds.

Commissioners, at a committee meeting Wednesday, ironed out guidelines to prevent that from happening.

The procedure requires the commission to vote on the grants once a month and lays out which organizations qualify and the documentation they must provide.

The resolution, which will be considered by the full commission today, requires that the funds be used by the named nonprofit organization and that the proposal benefits “the general welfare of the residents of Shelby County.”

It also requires all donations to come before the commission for its approval.

Dyer cautioned commissioners to be leery of donations made toward education projects that might impact school funding and inadvertently result in mandatory matching funds being given to all schools.

We will add that commissioners, in approving donations, should give more weight to projects that will have a sustainable impact.

Still, when it comes to determining what would be a legitimate donation, legitimate is in eye of the beholder.

And there also is the danger of borderline donations being approved by the I’ll-vote-for-yours-if you-vote for-mine process.

We are not saying the commissioners would stoop to something like that, but it happens on legislative bodies.

There are people who maintain the $1.3 million, which is part of the county’s $1.18 billion 2015-2016 budget, could be put to better use.

While we urge tough scrutiny about how the money is donated, we like the concept.

Most people seeking public office have a sincere commitment to public service.

Once they are elected, however, they soon discover that the complexities of government and partisan ideologies can stymie efforts to make a targeted impact on their constituents, especially at the district level.

The resolution is designed to bypass those hurdles, especially when it comes to organizations and community enhancement projects in distressed areas.