How do I find out how a public service in a small city is funded?

Does the mayor do a “state of the city ” report annually? There may be details in there.

Thanks, I’ll check.

In my municipality, the budgets are always public via Sunshine Law, Missouri.

Its probably your Parks Dept Fund, which is seperate from all other funds.

Or, to be stealthy, befriend a Parks board member and casually show interest.

Good idea! Thanks. I’ll stick my curious little nose into a few places.

Well….Chamber of Commerce maybe? City hall?

@Dutchess_lll too general.

@canidmajor Good luck.

@KNOWITALL Thanks. The task begins today. Fun fun fun. Ugh.

@canidmajor If you need more, this is my ‘thing’ so PM and I’d be willing to make a call. Its budget time and I’m on Parks, wouldnt be too odd to ask for a copy to be emailed to me.

@KNOWITALL, I may just do that! That’s why I sent this Q to you, I know you have some savvy in this area. Thanks so much!

The plot thickens. Let us know what you find out!

@Dutchess_lll I know, I’m kind of interested in the outcome now, too! haha

Artists are known to be difficult to work with and manage, though, so I’m taking it with a grain of salt until we know more.

Check with the city clerk.

She said that’s too obvious. She has to do it hush hush.

Have you tried Googling “Your Town Arts Council budget” ???

Sorry I took so long to get back, guys, I got mangled breaking up a dog fight. Everybody’s OK, but it was time-consuming.

@Tropical_Willie , yes, that’s where I started, it only gives the totals, no breakdown.

@canidmajor Yikes, yours or ? Are you ok?

Mine and a visitor dog. Ugh. My hand got chewed up, but it’ll be OK. Both dogs are fine.
Grateful for Medicare, today!!! Thanks for asking.

Glad you’re ok….start a thread! I want to know what happened. What kind of dogs, etc!

@Dutchess me too!! Maybe off leash, dog park? My male hates other dogs.

There was food, the tiny visiting dog attacked my big floofy dog. Everybody over-reacted, I got them separated after my hand got mangled, confined them, wrapped up my hand, went to urgent care, got fixed up. Everybody snoozing nicely now. Really, not worthy of a whole thread. I am just relieved that both dogs are OK. I am inconveniently maimed for a few days. Gives me an excuse to order take-out!

Stitches?

They don’t do stitches for dog bites, fear of infection, and the need to get at it quickly. So they soaked my had in ouch stuff, gave me a tetanus shot, taped the main wound closed (a three inch laceration) and bound it up. Antibiotics and dressing changes to come.
Ouch and ugh. At least one sleepless night to come, much self-pity.

Aw. :(. There there. Can I get you a glass of water? Wine? Whiskey???

Shucks, thanks. I’m not allowed alcohol because of the antibiotics, except, of course for the one glass of wine, doctor ordered, because “damn, dog fight!”
My medicinal tot has been consumed. :-)

Also, antibiotics negate the pill so be extra careful! :D :D :D!!

Poor fella. Food is a good test of dogs, for sure.

‘Ouch stuff’....... funny. How many dogs do you have?

Just one and a visitor. They’re good dogs, stuff just happens.

So did you ever get the answer to your question?

Working on it. People are being helpful in PMs.

Since it is a public service, the fees are generated through billings to the users and/or through local property taxes. If you have issues you’re curious about, perhaps you could contact the state’s attorney general.

No, @kritiper, they are not. Most of the funds come from donations and grants and the like.

If the records are public couldn’t you secretly find them online?

Not all public records are online. It may consist of thousands or millions of files that the County Clerk has, land records or something. It would be cost prohibitive to put some things online but yet a person could go to the town hall or the city hall and take a look, @Dutchess_lll.

Could they do it without letting the clerk know what they’re looking for?

I guess it depends. In the County I work in, the clerk would most likely be bringing files or books to someone at a counter.

That wouldn’t help with budget funding, though, @Dutchess_lll.

That’s what I thought.

All of you just remember, all taxpayer funds are a matter of public record, that doesn’t mean they’re online, but that you can take steps to access them. It’s YOUR money, so you have every right to be informed.

You can send off for the Federal budget as well, my grandparents did every year.

One could still contact the state’s attorney general.
Or, MYOB.

Contacting the state’s attorney general is drastic and too much. Read the comments, this is more of a stealth thing. Making big waves to gather a bit of information is ridiculous.

@kripter Really not helpful. She can delve into whatever she wants.

@Chyna Taxpayer funds being mismanaged is every taxpayers business. Too many dont care.

@knowitall: you mean @kritiper.

I was agreeing with @chyna. MYOB is not applicable here.

Gotcha, @Knowitall.

Found out what I needed to know. Funds are not being mismanaged, somebody’s just being a jerk dealing with members of a few chic groups.

Thankguys. :-)

”Civic” groups. Damn you, autocorrect!

@canid Glad to hear that!! Good job getting it sorted.

@canidmajor Nice job, detective!

(I poked around but didn’t find anything good. Detective skills not as good.)

@raum thanks for trying!

And, BTW, the hand healed up nicely. :-)