City council again denies funding to Redwood Foundation

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
Updated ·2 min read

May 23—ANDERSON — For a second time, the Anderson City Council has upheld a decision to rescind funding to the Redwood Foundation through the American Rescue Plan program.

The council Thursday voted 7-1 to deny the granting of $62,000 to the foundation. Councilman Ollie H. Dixon cast the no vote and Councilwoman Tiffany Harless abstained.

"You can keep your money, I don't need your money," Larry McClendon, president of the Redwood Foundation, said prior to the vote before leaving the council chambers.

The council originally voted on May 2 to deny the appeal of the Redwood Foundation, in which no one from the foundation was in attendance.

The council voted on May 9 to reconsider the appeal because no one from the foundation was notified of the meeting.

Instead of making a presentation to justify the funding request, McClendon questioned the process.

He asked how the Not-For-Profit Committee allocated funding and was told by Councilwoman Jennifer Culp, a member of the committee, that the committee looked at the effectiveness of the program over a number of years.

McClendon asked about the mayor's involvement in the process after a letter from Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings brought to light criminal activity in the home of Redwood Foundation board member Donita Thompson.

"The mayor has a say-so in what happened to my foundation," McClendon said. "She has not been charged. You're demonizing this woman."

He said that since no charges were filed, the council was exceeding its authority.

"You're penalizing my foundation for what someone else did," McClendon said. "What someone else did shouldn't keep me from administering federal funds."

The Redwood Foundation originally requested a grant of $246,000 for a Cure Violence Prevention Program by McClendon.

The Redwood Foundation was originally granted $62,000.

The $62,000 award was terminated on April 5 and the Redwood Foundation appealed the decision of the city's Not-For Profit Committee.

The denial letter said the committee received additional information from Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings.

The information included a search warrant of Thompson's residence in relation to a homicide investigation which included the discovery of a handgun magazine and drugs.

The homicide was related to the arrest of Donavan Harris who is awaiting trial on charges of murder, attempted armed robbery, dealing in narcotics and criminal confinement.

Harris is charged with the Nov. 24, 2023 shooting death of Julian Craig.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.