From insidenova.com:
GAINESVILLE, Va. —
Brentsville Supervisor W.S. “Wally” Covington III doesn’t believe his donation to his wife’s charity is a conflict of interest.
However, he has decided against contributing $100,000 from his supervisor office’s district funds to the Rainbow Therapeutic Equestrian Center during Tuesday’s Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting.
“To maintain the comity of the Board and not to further politicize or demean this worthy organization, I will withdraw my notice of intent,” Covington stated in a press release this afternoon.
His wife Connie is the president of the Board of Directors for the Center, which according to its website, provides “therapeutic equestrian activities to individuals with physical and mental challenges in Prince William County and surrounding Northern Virginia areas.”
Good for Wally Covington to pull is notice to donate this money. He has done the right thing. Sometimes we are just to close to things to see how they look to the rest of the folks. To reiterate, we like Wally and we feel Rainbow Riding is a worthwhile organization. The criticism was never about Rainbow Riding. It was always about the process of using tax payer money.
This looks like new media at work, doing what it should do, and doing it well! I don’t know if this story caused the pulling of it, but let’s say for the sake of argument that it did, Congratulations!
Thanks Pokie.
I would say the unwanted attention from 5 disparate blogs probably made someone sit up and think about how this looked. Sometimes people are just too close to a situation to see it through the eyes of others.
The look of impropriety is worse than impropriety.
Nothing like a little sunlight, eh?
And by the way, he only “did the right thing” because he got caught…..make no mistake about that.
Oh come on, allow me to be gracious.
That’s great! Now how about the $33K in the 2012 regular county budget for Mrs. Covington’s charity? I’d prefer to decide for myself which charities get my money rather than having my county reps give it away over and under the table.
This is where we need for Ray Beveridge to explain why a private organization gets $33k. Is this from the arts fund?
I know we fund the arts and numerous other things. Mr. B! All call for Mr. B!!!!
You paged me, Moon? LOL! Even got an email saying you were invoking my name….been down to Manassas City Council meeting.
I think Morris is referring to the $33K that shows up for RRC on page 35 of the Budget Book…..and back on the other posting where I gave that long explanation, think I covered the “why” they get it. Was just over there to answer Elena’s question about how many of the Community Partners are 501(c)(3) and number people served. Just a quick review:
A community group who provides services to residents in our area submit their request each budget cycle on a PWC form. That form asks how many PWC residents will be served, just how the services offered benefit the County as tied to Strategic Plan, and attach a copy of their audit. PWC Finance uses a formula to determine dollars based upon prior year funding, and for FY2013 budget, how the nonprofit met the Strategic Plan goals. Look over my “two cups of coffee worth” explanation for all the longer details.
Moon, the Arts Fund is another story in itself. Funding of the Arts (to use the collective term for painters, dancers, singers, muscians, etc) is part of that Quality of Life thing I mentioned in the other blog. That particular fund you reference is one I have heard and read much about on how they pass around the money, and even some of the inviting leading to two different symphonies in the County each funded, with one of them headquartered in Fairfax…or at least that was last year’s complaint about it. I know there was also lots of talk if funding the building of Hylton Performing Arts, why do we turn around and fund all the groups. Again, the Quality of Life by having these organizations which broaden our cultural base, entertain us, and enlighten us. Tougher to justify as with the ones like on page 34 and 35 of the Budget Book, at least majority are Human Services related and you can “see” the benefit. Ballet? Haven’t been to one in years and really not my cup of tea so funding to me is not a priority.
@Moon-howler
And I am “Ray Beverage” not the other side of the family “Beveridge”…LOL…but I take either spelling since all the one same big clan, we just bicker over the correct spelling. By the way, just for fun, I have a distant cousin in the Scottish lineage by the name of Thomas G. Beveridge who came to PWC in 1725 and gave part of his land for what is now the “Historic Brentsville”. If I remember right from looking at the land plot over at County Courthouse, cousin Tom’s land is where the Old Courthouse now stands. So I have an interest indirectly to Brenstville District issues. 🙂
Vetting of Discretionary Fund Resolutions by County Attorney:
Somewhere along the way in the various comments, someone brought up if these requests from Supervisors are vetted by the CA. Well, not that I have noticed. If you remember back about four months or so, Principi wanted to make a donation from District Funds to the War Musuem and made it in memory of his father who was a WWII Veteran. At the time he said it, nobody on that dias….nobody….spoke up to say you cannot have a personal request like that. Not the Chairman, other Supers, CXO or the CA.
I almost dropped my soda can when I heard it as I was watching the session. The following week at the next BOCS session, Principi submits a revised resolution deleting the reference to his father. Just an example of how those requests are not vetted.
Ididn’t hear that. How about if its HIS father, he make the donation out of HIS pocket? Oh dear, is that crude of me?
Thanks for the explanation. I fully admit to not understanding municipal financing and sorry about the misspelling. I was in a big hurry, as you can tell. I am glad someone got word to you that your expertise was needed.
I guess I am still in a quandry over why some organizations get to live and others die. I am thinking of that senior center and also one for troubled kids.
Can someone else tell me maybe 10 of the organizations that provide services to the county?
I don’t mind a certain amount set aside for cultural things. I understand that we got skunked on building that theater for the arts….but that is another story.
I suppose I count parks and toilet paper and quality of life issues also. This is why there needs to be a process for citizen oversight with all these issues. I like animals. So if I were doling out the money, the animals would fare better than the people. I think some even handness belongs in the game.
I think it is time to do away with discretionary funds and get some county discretionary funds. If a supervisor thinks something is needed in his or her district, then apply like everyone else. I would approve Marty’s bike trails because everyone can use them and there are a lot of people in this county who ride bicycles.
Moon, the troubled kids aka Boys & Girls Home: interesting you mention them as those homes were closed about 7 months after the Senior Day Program. What was never mentioned at any of the BOCS sessions was it was costing $1.2million a year to run them, but they only had a 25% occupancy and 28% use of the fund – and Richmond was bringing heat to PWC since that was a five-year trend. High cost, low use. Plus, there was a viable alternative with Youth for Tomorrow.
County DSS took heat from the BOCS as they could not say how many of the youths were repeat offenders…how many were in and out of the homes on a frequent basis. A gentle inquiry found that part of the reason the homes were being defended was because several kids were from big political donor families.
But agree with all who say return those funds either to the General Fund at the end of the FY, or place them against a Capital Improvement within their district – and get that improvement into the annual CIP would be the smart move since some things, like even a bike path, take time to get through the engineering and paper drill process.
@Ray Beverage
Ray, you are one man walking/talking encyclopedia. Thanks for all of your contributions on keeping us informed and educated.
@Lafayette
Laf, you and everyone is quite welcome considering at one time y’all paid for me to be able to get so smart 🙂 I was a young Army Staff Sergeant when the duties of running the budget (almost a $1million dollars as my first budget) and around 170 contracts got handed to me by my Colonel. Fortunately, the Army does send you to school so you know the rules (especially how to protect one’s backside).
As for learning the ins and outs of local government, especially PWC and that 1,000 pound gorilla Metro Washington Council of Governments, well……I just took the stance about four years ago they are the enemy and applied battlefield tatics y’all also paid to have me learn.
Just look at it as a return on investment…LOL!
Just happen to know, by long time observation, that Wally loves to mislead by parsing his words. Apparently he has said that his wife is not a paid staff member at RRC so there is no personal interest. Does anyone know if she is a paid director or officer? Two very different things. Frequently officers and/or directors of charities receive either stipends or fees, not as paid staff, but as compensation for the provision of director or officer services. This would be classical Wally. Anyone know or can find out?
@Blue Moon
Blue, by the Annual Tax Return, she receives no direct paid compensation as part of the Board in any form. That said, one of the things circling around about nonprofits is what are the indirect benefits a Board Member receives because of holding a positon – is there something they receive “in kind” that has a monetary value such as a free dinner. But on public available reports, there is no indication of stipends or fees.
Thanks Ray. We both know that there are many layers under which goodies can be hidden. In this case there’s probably no way that the mere public will ever know the full truth about this. My guess is there are direct benefits to the family in one form or another via the RRC program such as boarding and vet services to the horses, not a trivial expense. Certainly there could be plenty more but since significant efforts are expended to keep the public in the dark, especially with respect to NGOs, we can only make educated guesses.