As expected, non-profit organizations strongly opposed the proposal to cut their funding and they brought out the big guns for last nights Council meeting. Former KLFY TV10 anchor and current Executive Director of 232-HELP Maria Placer was on hand to discuss the ever increasing role of non-profits in this area and questioned the council who would provide such services if the non-profits weren't financially able to do it anymore. Also on hand was Acadiana Center for the Arts Executive Director Gurd Wuestemann to discuss the economic impact of having cultural programs in the community. Even the director of the Community Foundation (who the council is hoping will take over fundraising) Raymond Hebert, said he couldn't guarantee they could handle financing the dozens of agencies the cuts would affect. Finally, councilman Kenneth Boudreaux questioned whether they were going in the wrong direction and shouldn't be looking for more funding for these groups instead of cutting what they have. The debate continues with the final vote coming up in two weeks, on Tuesday, July 21. More here from Richard Burgess of the Advocate.In other council news, the Daily Advertiser reports that they unanimously agreed to allow the Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium to change it's name to Lafayette Science Museum, which officials believe will make it easier to market with such a considerably shorter name.
Photo of Foodnet volunteers packing up monthly orders by Foodnet of Acadiana. Foodnet is just one of many organizations that 232-HELP works with.
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