Madison Co. commissioners vote to cut budget for some nonprofits

JACKSON, Tenn. — Madison County commissioners voted Tuesday to cut funding for several local nonprofit organizations.

“It’s devastating because we’re already struggling to stay open,” Rose Yarbrough said.

Yarbrough runs the West Madison Senior Center, one of the two nonprofits slated to lose money in the next fiscal year. “It is really going to put a strain on our center,” she said.

The Madison County Nonprofit Agencies Committee agreed to take $5,000 from the West Madison Senior Center. “We’re hoping that maybe they can get more volunteers to help out there,” Madison County Commissioner Barbara Johnson said.

Madison-Haywood Developmental Services agreed to take a $2,000 cut. “So we could give it to some organizations that, that is a higher percentage of their budget,” Madison County Commissioner Larry Lowrance said.

Aspell Recovery Center, the Dream Center and the East Madison County Community Association each will get at least an additional $2,000. Four organizations including the Boys and Girls Club and Imagination Library will not get any of the money they requested.

“We have many, many, many more requests than we can fill,” Lowrance said.

Yarbrough said she hopes to find funding for the senior center somewhere else. “We’re just going to pray about it,” she said.

The county agreed to give $210,000 total to nonprofits, the same amount as last year.

Tuesday’s committee recommendations now go for a vote before the entire commission.