Waiting for answer: Will city, county save ACCAC?
“Is ACCAC worth saving?” asked Clinton Mayor Scott Burton. “I feel it is. I hope that when you come back next month, you have a plan in place.”
That was in response to Ron Young, interim director of Anderson County Community Action Committee, who told Clinton City Council that the nonprofit owes back taxes to the tune of over $31,000.
According to Young, payroll taxes have not been paid since 2014, and the IRS needs to be paid as soon as possible. Because ACCAC is not in a position to pay them, it is requesting that the City of Clinton and Anderson County split the cost 50/50.
Young was quick to acknowledge that changes needed to be made in management, and said that ETHRA had planned on taking over the program. When they found out about the debt, however, ETHRA killed the deal.
Still, once the back taxes are paid, ETHRA told Young that they would take over from there.
Councilman Zach Farrar agreed that ACCAC was worth saving, but not without a host of questions.
Did the board know about the back taxes from 2014-2017?
Does the city have an obligation to pay their debt? Why weren’t the taxes paid?
“I wouldn’t want to reward negligence,” Farrar said, “if it was done with intent.”
The former director has since resigned.
Burton said he would like to see something from ETHRA in writing before they meet again.
“I think Community Action does a fantastic job and I’d hate to see it go,” Burton said.
“I think to put in $15,000 to make it solvent again, and if ETHRA takes over… but the question is, can we do it?”
Young has made the same request to county commission; they referred the issue to the budget committee and are awaiting an answer from the Tennessee Comptroller to see if it is something they can do.
