(PENSACOLA) --- East Pensacola Student Athlete Program Secretary Lawanna Hamilton let Parks & Recreation Board officials know exactly how she felt after being grilled by Pensacola City Council members last week.
(Photo: East Pensacola Student Athlete Program Secretary Lawanna Hamilton once again defends her group twice in one week to officials)
Chair Kirwan Price called Hamilton up to the podium at the Tuesday, July 21 meeting, with the sports group secretary immediately noting that she had been questioned at length about her group's Memorandum of Understanding at the July 16 Pensacola City meeting.
“It goes without saying, we had to learn what was required and expected of our organization to be in partnership with the City of Pensacola,” Hamilton said, adding, “I feel like we are being transparent with the City of Pensacola and we are not getting that in return.”
Price took the blame.
“I watched your presentation at the city council, and I apologize you had to defend your organization in front of the city council, and we are culpable in that you had to do that,” Price said. “And that is what we are trying to sort out today.”
(Photo: Pensacola Parks & Recreation Board Chair Kirwan Price discussing local sport group's Memorandum of Understanding July 21)
Hamilton told the board she did not expect to be called to the podium “because when we gave our presentation to this board in June, we didn’t know what was expected or what was next to come.”
“Forty-eight hours before the council meeting, I was notified that I needed additional documentation,” Hamilton said, adding the program is a hundred percent volunteer, and the last-minute request was not feasible due to working schedules.
Parks & Recreation Director Tonya Byrd confirmed, “There was kind of this misunderstanding that the financials were not due until after this board approved, and the city council approved.”
Board member Michael Osley wanted to know if the Pensacola Children’s Choir or other adolescent organizations have to “open their books as well?”
Answer: No.
“To my knowledge, I don’t think we ever asked them for a financial statement,” Byrd said, adding the MOU is not “dissimilar” since both organizations are “program providers.”
“It should apply to all organizations,” Board member Kristin Brown said.
While each city council member who questioned Hamilton went out of their way to let her know “not to take it personally,” on July 16, Hamilton said the lengthy question session felt like “we are getting a very disrespectful and negative look at our program.”
“We feel like we are being targeted,” Hamilton said, specifically noting Councilman Charles Bare’s questioning the group in depth.
The group secretary said the “accusations and allegations being thrown around” are unfair to her group, which files all required non-profit paperwork. One accusation made by Bare was an unfair $10 registration fee for students within city limits, which Bare said Pensacola families should not have to pay.
“Yes, we have income, and our income comes from registration,” Hamilton said, reminding officials no one gets paid to volunteer throughout the week and on the weekends.
Price commended Hamilton for her professionalism thus far before noting he hoped she “can appreciate what we are trying to do as stewards of taxpayer dollars that provide for city facilities that organizations like yours want to use.”
Spending wisely equals organizations “opening their books for us as much as possible,” Price said.
(Photo: Parks & Recreation Director Tonya Byrd confirms there was a misunderstanding that led to Linda Hamilton being questioned at length by the Pensacola City Council)
“That did not get effectively communicated to you, and that is something we are trying to sort out,” Price said, adding two sports youth MOU’s were up for approval on the agenda.
“I hope they are the first organizations that have everything buttoned up so that when it goes to council, they don’t have to go to that council meeting,” Price said. “They will not have to defend the organization as you did.”
The MOUs for the Southern Youth Sports Association and North Pensacola Wildcats were removed from the agenda to ensure the current checklist was completed in full.
“I would encourage these organizations to get their documents together quickly,” Byrd said of the MOU’s that must be approved in August to be presented to the city council in September.
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