CA Funding Cuts Put Community Events at Risk
Council Corner: It Takes the Villages to Build and Sustain Community
Popular community events such as the annual Independence Day Parade are at risk if proposed funding reductions and changes to village management contracts are adopted by the Columbia Association.
As the father of a kindergartener, I have certainly come to appreciate the adage that “it takes a village to raise a child.” There have been numerous times where my wife and I have had to rely on both friends and family to help, and we thank everyone who has done so. Likewise, as a resident of River Hill, I appreciate that it takes the villages to build a community. The villages are the backbone of our community, enforcing covenants to preserve the safety and beauty of our neighborhoods, publishing and delivering newsletters to keep every household informed, and organizing cherished events like the annual Independence Day parade. I thank the River Hill village staff, board members and all of the volunteers who make this happen.
However, in order to accomplish this mission, the villages need to be financially stable and adequately funded. Much of each village’s funding comes from the village annual charge share, which is the portion of CA’s annual charge which we all pay that is used to help fund the village associations. Unfortunately, the percentage of the annual charge that is used to fund the villages has been steadily declining in recent years. In FY-19 the village share represented nearly 8% of the total annual charge, but in FY-26 the village share is projected to be less than 7% of the total annual charge. This difference represents a gap of around $45K of funding per village.
Also, of significant concern is the potential impact of the new village management contract, which is still being negotiated between CA and the villages. First, there needs to be more transparency in how the village management contract is negotiated. Unlike a typical contract where the goal is to secure the best deal, the goal of the management contract should be how to best allocate the annual revenue between CA and the villages. Unfortunately, my motion for the Board to discuss the village contract in open meeting was defeated. Second, proposed changes to the way the village buildings (including Claret Hall) are managed and how rental revenue from them are collected could have significant negative impacts on village finances. If these proposed changes come to fruition, it could result in the loss of key village functions such as the annual Independence Day parade and The Villager.
The villages foster the sense of community that defines Columbia. It is imperative for the Columbia Association to adequately fund the villages to ensure that they can continue to fulfill their critical mission to maintain and enhance our community.
Eric Greenberg is the River Hill Representative to Columbia Council and the CA Board of Directors.
Email: Eric.Greenberg@ca-board.org.
Disclaimer: This column reflects the views of Eric Greenberg only and not those of the CA Board or the River Hill Board of Directors.
