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CC Work Session <br />Meeting Date: 02/10/2015 <br />2. 1. <br />Information <br />Title: <br />Review Charitable Gambling Contributions to Non -Profit Organizations <br />Purpose/Background: <br />The purpose of this case is to consider whether the Charitable Gambling Fund policy should be revised to broaden <br />its use to other community service organizations. <br />The city has been funding a couple of organizations - Juvenile Diversion and Youth First for the past several years <br />from its Charitable Gambling Fund. A summary of programs and funding source is attached. <br />The city has been approached by Family of Promise and Ramsey Heart Safe about also making a donation to their <br />respective organizations. Family of Promise provides emergency housing assistance to local families in need. The <br />Ramsey Heart Safe program is a community wellness initiative that has a goal of increasing the survival rate of <br />sudden cardiac arrest victims in Ramsey. With reductions in funding from other sources, some cities have <br />broadened their policies to include this type of community service organization. Based upon a strict interpretation, <br />neither project could be funded under the current policy. <br />The Charitable Gambling Fund can be used for the following expenditures per the city's current fund policy: <br />1. Expenditures for recreation, community and athletic facilities, as adopted in the annual Capital Improvement <br />Program, intended primarily for persons under age 21, provided that such facilities and activities do not <br />discriminate on the basis of a gender; and <br />2. Expenditures for community programs and/or services, intended primarily for persons under age 21, <br />provided that such programs and/or services do not discriminate on the basis of gender; and <br />3. On an annual basis, at least seventy (70) percent of the funds in the Lawful Gambling Fund shall be allocated <br />for expenditures for recreation, community and athletic facilities; and <br />4. Requests for fund expenditures, and donations toward fund expenditures, received during the prior calendar <br />year will be considered by the Park and Recreation Commission and authorized by the Council Finance <br />Committee on a case by case basis; and <br />5. Capital purchases of $1,000 toward which donations are received and to which no City expenditures are <br />required may occur after review and approval by the Park and Recreation Commission. <br />Expanding the use of the fund will increase the funding options for some valuable community programs, however, <br />this will result in a reduction in already insufficient park facility funding options. <br />Timeframe: <br />20-30 minutes <br />Funding Source: <br />The Charitable Gambling Fund is funded with the 5% monthly contribution from lawful gambling proceeds as <br />provided from Anoka Area Ice Arena, Climb Theater and Ramsey Lions. The respective cash flow of the fund is <br />attached. <br />Responsible Party(ies): <br />City Administrator and Finance Director. <br />