The Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee has punted on a $60,000 grant to the Minneluzahan Senior Center. Some argue there was more to the rejection than meets the eye.
The proposal, called a “shot in the arm”, would support a wide range of upgrades to the facility including technology, marketing, and culturally inclusive care.
One city councilmember, Stephen Tamang, says there simply isn’t enough information to move forward on this proposal at the most recent Legal and Finance committee meeting.
“When we look at the quantities and what it’s being used for, it’s not spelled out adequately for my standpoint," Tamang said. "I want to support them, absolutely, but this isn’t some theoretical thing. I don’t know how we approve that without a little more clarification. It’s very difficult to approve that with what we have in front of us.”
However, others argue the $60,000 has been well spelled out and is ready to progress.
Councilmember Bill Evans said there is no need to delay a well-established proposal.
Addressing Tamang specifically, he takes issue with a policy that would allow certain expenditures from the mayors’ office to receive no council oversight while other proposals require a fine-tooth comb.
“I guess the only people that have to justify where money is being spent, according to some councilmembers, is people who aren’t the mayor," Evans said. "That bothers me we have this double standard going on here where we nitpick these little dime things, these expenditures, but other people have free reign to go crazy, spending money however they want with no oversight. That is going to be hard to justify.”
The issue will be heard at the next Legal and Finance Committee Meeting October 1.