Marion County Development Partnership Office
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
The private non-profit Marion County Development Partnership received $100,000 in county funding last year, according to the organization’s president.
In addition to the county funds, the MCDP also receives $40,000 a year from the city of Columbia, said City Clerk Donna McKenzie.
The MCDP is the local economic development organization that works to attract industry and jobs to Marion County, said the organization’s president, Jerry Frazier. Other than the funding from the city and the county, the only other money the MCDP receives is from its 250-260 members, said Frazier. The MCDP “consists of members of the private and business sector of our community,” Frazier wrote in a letter to the Marion County Informer this month.
The county actually funds the Marion County Economic Development District, which then passes the $100,000 through to the MCDP, Frazier said. The MCEDD contracts with MCDP for economic development services, Frazier said. Frazier is also the executive director of the MCEDD.
Frazier said the $100,000 that the county provides to the MCDP is for operating expenses. It is unclear what the money provided by the city and county specifically pays for at the MCDP. The Marion County Informer has filed a public records request with Frazier to find out what the taxpayer money pays for at the non-profit MCDP.
MCDP President Jerry Frazier
The Marion County Informer about two weeks ago requested a copy of the MCEDD’s fiscal year 2010-2011 preliminary budget that was recently submitted to the Board of Supervisors. Board of Supervisors President Calvin Newsom refused to release the budget, saying it was just preliminary.
The preliminary budget was turned over by the county last week after the Marion County Informer filed a public records request for the document. Even though it is just a preliminary budget, the Informer still believed it was a public record because the MCEDD is funded with taxpayer money.
According to County Comptroller Mary McKenzie, the county funded MCEDD with $359,000 for fiscal year 2009-2010, which ends Sept. 30.
The preliminary budget for 2010-2011 proposes that the county fund MCEDD with $314,000 or $504,898. The proposed budget states that the county will need to fund the MCEDD with the $504,898 if payment on bonds for the former Wellstone Apparel building is passed through the MCEDD. If those bond payments are not passed through MCEDD, the budget request is only $314,000.
In previous years, MCEDD received money from rent payments on the former Wellstone building, but that revenue stream has been lost since facility was vacated last year. Frazier said the MCDP is working diligently to market the Wellstone building to find another tenant, and efforts include advertising in national magazines. The MCEDD owns the former Wellstone building.
It is unclear how much revenue the MCEDD was receiving from rent on the building, but a 2009 budget document states, “In the past the MCEDD has bundled the $314,000 from Marion County and the $176,400 received from rent to pay: MCEDD operating expenses; the $192,000 annual debt service on the building; and other designated debt services.”
Now that the MCEDD is no longer receiving rent payments, the county apparently has to make up for that lost revenue. The proposed 2010-2011 budget states that a bond payment of $190,498 will be owed on the former Wellstone building in 2011. According to a payment schedule on the building, a principal balance of $1.76 million is owed on the facility.
The 2011 MCEDD proposed budget also includes $29,580 for MCDP office building annual debt; $49,914 for CAP loan on building leased to Wellstone Apparel, LLC; $96,000 operating expenses for MCEDD (management, professional services, etc.); and $13,500 for utilities to secure Wellstone building.
It is unclear what the $96,000 that the county provides for operating expenses at the MCEDD specifically pays for. The Marion County Informer has filed a records request with Frazier to determine what the money goes toward.
lOOKS LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE A SERIOUS INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ORGANZATION.
give me a break! Here we go, keep trying to dig up stuff.
If someone doesn’t dig it up then it will remain under cover; the longer it remains buried the more difficult it will be to sort out. If something was done which was criminal or, at best, self-serving then more of the same will follow. Thanks to MCI and Josh for bringing it to light.
Of course some people will be forever content to live in darkness which gives others power to profit by that darkness.
I totally agree.
I totally agree.
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So finally some answers – But answers which only tend to beg more questions!
“It’s a done deal.”
Rarely have such words been uttered which infuriated me more! This was a scam perpetrated on the citizens of Marion County and a lot of rich people got richer on this venture. Short of proving a conspiracy those people who profited on the land purchase and construction costs, we the people will bear this debt made without our consent and pass it along to our children and grandchildren!
I don’t know how the money is being spent but, to look at the former Wellstone Apparel property, it’s not being spent on exterior appearances!
Methinks the salaries of the people entrusted with marketing the property could bear public scrutiny!
This has really enlightened me on this organization. Up until now I didn’t know much about it. On the wellstone property, I was informed that the property was orignally deeded to the city for expansion of Woodlawn Cemetary and instead look what we have. A big empty building!
Excellent reporting, Josh. Follow the money. I have a feeling this is the tip of the iceberg.
Now, where does that other organization fit into the fray? I believe it’s called the Columbia-Marion County Development Foundation. If memory serves me correctly, Frazier is/was president of this one.
So, what I get from this is that the taxpayers get to use their hard-earned dollars to support an organization that makes businesses pay to be member of that tax-supported organization! And, those public dollars pay a utility company big bucks to secure a building that the quasi-governmental unit purchased with tax dollars! Tea party people, unite and speak out on this one, please. This is wrong.
Josh, this is exactly why you can not leave the informer!!!! No one else in this politically correct little town has the gumption, bravery, or desire to question such things. Please keep at this story. I for one would love to know exactly what my tax dollars are going to.
100k for three staff members to do these objectives:
http://www.mcdp.info /mcdp/program.html Sounds like a big waste of money that could be used for that water dept that is supposedly so broke that we need to pay more taxes~ hummm?
Wow, what a waste of money.
Thank you INFORMER for informing us. This is why government isn’t working locally or nationally. Too many secrets and unconcerned citizens. Wake up America and Marion County!
Josh, the writer of the above comment is so
RIGHT, we need your SERVICES so badly. Please reconsider. We really did need to know about the rent from Wellstone. I thought that money was to be applied to the 2.5 mil note.
“Prestige – As a member of this team of community leaders, you hold the key to progress in our community. Your ideas, input and actions are translated into results. You ARE the Marion County Development Partnership… working to make Marion County a better place to live and work.”
The above is from some MCDP info. about the benefits of being a member. Does it strike anyone else as odd that your tax dollars are hard at work, putting together this “exclusive” group of decision-makers?
Since this organization never developes anything, it should be shut down. Time to cutback on organizations that uses our tax money for there personal use. Lets stand together on this one in these hard times and take our county back and then we will take our country back.
Now that everyone is aware of this, um, little situation, what are we going to do about it? Here’s a suggested course of action:
Call your representatives, both city and county, and tell them that your tax money could be put to better use than for this “exclusive” group. Tell them to vote “no” on the budget, and continue voting no until funding for this “exclusive” group is removed. Call again after budget time and ask if the budget includes funding for the pass-through “exclusive” group of decision-makers. If they say “yes,” vote them out. Pure and simple. Quit being passively bullied by these people.
Why couldn’t this money be given to the schools since they are in such dire need? Think we need to call and complain to our so called leaders about this.
Josh you are doing a GREAT job!! CP would never publish the truth like you do….Keep up the great work.
I agre with JJ the schools need that money than Columbia might be able to keep a nurse and The county might be able to keep security
This is a great article. I am unaware of anything Jerry Frazier or the MCDP has done for Marion County. If anything has been done I would sure be interested in knowing. The offices are some of the most fashionable in the city. I think if an organization does
not perform they should not be dependent on tax payer money. Close the office and use the money to support the areas that are doing well and promote Marion County.
Good reporting Josh…..PLEASE keep up the good work!!!!
to think our town people would stand by and let such a thing happen…knowing our schools are lacking in funds and resources…..Do you not realize that we ALL suffer if our children go unattended!!!
Oh, and let’s not forget the little matter of the road closing which use to go to the hospital and the issue’s with that new little new mall. It appears more that progress or development was going on there as well.
Way to go Josh!
That should save a few teachers their jobs. Or prevent our taxes from going up. Sure is a pretty office. I wonder what Mr. Fraziers salary is? Man check out the Marion County school website. The website says they are seeking applications for certain positions. Didnt we just cut teachers and furlough some days?
Marion County show take that crazy amount of money that they spend with the MCDP and put it towards law enforcement, since people are scared to open new businesses (which is what the MDCP is “suppose” to be bringing in)due to the large amount of crime we have in our area.
My husband and I were just talking about this organization the other day and wondering what in the world they actually do and what are the salaries. Seems like “they got some explaining to do” .
Way to go Josh, I hope some of your readers are helpful to your endevors and bet there are some comments not published due there content or lead to some story. It’s clear however from what is seen in comments that the people of Marion County have an understanding of what their dealing with and it’s great to have your reporting of various issues. Way to go!
You know, you don’t have to be a reporter to request records. How many of you will follow suit and make a request of these budgets/salaries for yourselves? I’m surprised the tea party people aren’t jumping on this on this one to have information on which to base those rallies.
It’s because no one involved is black.
With a $100,000 from county, and 40,OOO from city, it might be time to hold city and county government accountable for what they are spending as well as MCDP.Seems like everybody and their brother wants to raise this tax or that fee for citizens of this town and county.Should not county and city government be accountable for cutting out some of this frill before jacking up the price of everything that we pay for in this county and city? People are having a difficult time in this economy and city and county government act as though it is business as usual-I guess they don’t really feel the pinch or empathize with the rest of us.
Isn’t this the type of thing our Chamber of Commerce is supposed to be doing? I’m not even sure we have a COC anymore; I haven’t heard anything out of them lately but I may just be showing my ignorance.
keep it up, Josh M.,doing a good job as all ways. .99% behind you,Kid.
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Josh you are doing a good job informing the residents of marion county of what’s going on. I don’t see any jobs or business that have come to columbia. We need to do to them what was done to those city officials in California. That money should go to the schools, have you seen the elementary at west marion lately? or the high school for that matter. With security cut out who are going to protect our children? I take it none of their children or grand children attend the county schools.
I’m not accusing anyone of anything illegal. I related the story as I heard and remember it. Check the facts, and where I’m wrong, I apologize.. It could be interesting OR NOT.. That’s the reporting/rumor bidness’. Sort em’ out. Thanks to the Informer for your efforts to look at both sides of the coin.