Knox officials recently began discussing the possibility of regulating fundraising within the city limits after receiving some questions about the city’s policy.
When council members met for their final meeting in June, Mayor Dennis Estok noted that there is a specific organization that holds an abundance of ‘Nelson’s Chicken Fundraisers.’
Estok explained, “I’ve had a few people ask just lately, and I know this has been a problem for the last year or so, as far as how many times a non-for-profit or organization can have consecutive fundraisers.
He mentioned that the main concern seems to be that this practice could be hindering other local organizations from gathering funds the same way.
Estok added it personally impacted the way the City conducts fundraising. He explained they quit having those kinds of fundraisers following a noticeable dip in pre-sales and an apparent disinterest the last time they held one.
Councilman Donald Kring indicated it appears that having a lot of similar sales close together would discourage other non-profits from fundraising that way. Councilman Jeff Berg stated that it seems like this specific organization is saturating the market.
Mayor Estok mentioned that while the organization collects money for a good cause, he thinks that city officials could maybe consider stepping in to help protect local charities in the future.
During last Tuesday’s meeting, officials looked over the existing license and business registrations ordinance that deals with peddlers and vendors. They discussed the possibility of amending that to incorporate a policy addressing the frequency of fundraisers.
They also tossed around the idea of potentially creating a new ordinance to address the matter directly. No official actions were taken but his topic will be discussed again in future meetings.
Estok noted that the organization doesn’t only hold their fundraisers in Knox and stated that there could possibly be other communities nearby who feel the same way. He mentioned that he’d also like to hear from other local organizations to see if they’ve had similar experiences.
If you would like to weigh in on the matter, fill out a feedback form on the city’s website or contact the Mayor’s Office during business hours at 574-772-4553.
