Council Considers Funding for Cultural, Special Programs

Joe Naper took on The Grinch in a battle for Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) funds and in the end community culture won.

The Naperville City Council met at its work session Monday to discuss future funding requests and to come to a consensus agreement. The council came to a consensus on the majority of the requests, which will be funded, though there were some groups that were denied. In the end, the council made $2.6 million in recommendations. 

The Council was in consensus for funding of the city’s capital projects, administration, city initiatives and promotions. But, the council needed to come to agreement for requests under the heading of cultural amenities, special events and new initiatives. 

Special Events Coordinator Jennifer Runestead said there were 89 applications submitted with more than $3.4 million in funding requested and $2.445 million available for applicants.

The Council had a number of cultural amenities requests for Fiscal Year 2012 that it had yet to agree upon, including funding for the Naperville Heritage Society, which was seeking $175,000 to fund a statue of Joe Naper to be placed at the new Joseph Naper Heritage Site at Mill Street and Jefferson Avenue. Century Walk was also seeking funding to complete projects and to add a sculpture of the Grinch, the third Dr. Seuss piece in .

Joe Naper took on the Grinch as the council debated funding of the projects.

City Councilor Grant Wehrli asked to discuss funding for the Naperville Heritage Society.

“Here we are talking about funding for a statue for the founding father of Naperville who goes unrecognized,” he said, adding a local artist would be able to craft the sculpture.

Councilor Paul Hinterlong agreed: “He is the founder of our town and should have funding for a statue,” he said. “As much as I hate to put the Grinch back another year, I think we should.” 

To pay for the Joe Naper statue would have taken the council beyond it's funding limit. Councilor Kenn Miller asked if it might possible to use funding kep in reserve to pay for the Naper statue. That was the choice that was made. Roughly $45,000 will remain in reserve.

The projects the Council was on the fence about, including funding for the Century Walk, it chose to fund at the median amount discussed, which for Century Walk was $150,000. 

Wehrli also raised concern about some organizations approaching the city with a feeling of entitlement for funding. The council seemed to agree that the funding should help get programs off the ground, but not necessarily keep them afloat indefinitely.

The Rotary Club of Naperville’s Soups On! was one of the events, the council was hesitant to continue funding. Council members noted that tickets were $80 and 2,000 were sold at the last event. There was discussion to pull all of the funding, but Councilor Joe McElroy interjected and said the club said it felt the event might not survive without the funding.

The Council chose to give the Rotary $10,000, rather than the requested $20,000, toward the event.

The SECA funding will be open for pubic hearing at the council’s April meeting, where it will take action. The organizations will be reimbursed beginning in May after the hearing.