By Donald Jay Howton
At the November 21, 2023 meeting, the Bessemer City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter into performance contracts with non-profit corporations.
The non-profit corporations and the amounts to be paid from non-profit line item in the General Fund account are the American Red Cross Serving Mid-Alabama Chapter $15,000; Nurturing Golden Hearts $2,500; Bessemer Hall of History, Inc. $5,000; The Clay House Children Center $10,000 and the Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System $5,000.
Section 94.01 of the Alabama Constitution gives municipalities flexibility for expenditures that serve a “public purpose” providing expenditures are in “aid of or to any individual, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, for the purpose of promoting the economic and industrial development of the county or the municipality.
The City Council of the City of Bessemer determined that providing funds to non-profits serve a valid and sufficient public purpose in that it has for its objective the promotion of public health, safety, morals, security, prosperity, contentment and the general welfare of the community.
