Commission Names 2013 Wine Fest Beneficiaries

Wine Fest is arguably the biggest event in Safety Harbor every year.

So the non-profit organizations that are selected as beneficiaries stand a lot to gain by being chosen to split the proceeds from the Main Street festival.

Last year each of the four recipients - Magic Beans Village, Mattie Williams Center, Safety Harbor Rotary Club and the Museum and Cultural Center - received roughly $5,400 apiece.

On Monday night the City Commission selected the four beneficiaries for the 2013 Wine Festival from a pool of eight applicants. Those chosen include:

• The Mattie Williams Neighborhood Family Center
• Safety Harbor Chamber of Commerce
• Kiwanis Club of Safety Harbor
• Elena Tresh Foundation

Each commissioner gave reasons for selecting the organizations based on the amount of work they do in the community and the number of volunteers they can bring to the event.

But some also called for more transparency when it comes to what the non-profits do with the money they receive.

"I want to tear apart the applications like a grant application," Commissioner Nancy Besore said. "I want not just the basic information...but I want to know what they're actually going to do with the money."

Commissioner Rick Blake concurred with Besore's view.

"I agree, I'd love to see more, longer applications or some sort of accounting statement submitted with it to see where the funds are going," he said. "Not just for these specific funds, but for the organizations as a whole."

The 2013 Safety Harbor Wine Festival will take place on Saturday, November 2nd.

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