Selectman, Rec. Departments and Friends Spar Over Donations

FOXBOROUGH, MA -What is normally a routine approval by the selectmen turned into a lengthy and heated discussion at their meeting Tuesday night.

During the approval of action items, Selectman Ginny Coppola raised concerns about accepting four donations from the Friends of Recreation group for the Sixth Annual Father/Daughter Dance. She said her main concern was that the group was not a 501c3 entity. The issue is a continuation of the board’s Feb. 9 meeting, where Coppola was the only board member to vote against the donation to the Recreation Department from Partners in Patriotism.

“I was very surprised when I saw these donations because they are not a legal group. They may have gotten together, but I could get together the Friends of Fairway Lane but that doesn’t mean anything,” Coppola said.

Coppola said she contacted Attorney John Michelmore, who was hired to assist the group with the process of becoming a 501c3 group. When she was told the paperwork was not complete, she decided to vote against the donations until the group was constituted.

But the process is legal and appropriate according to Town Manager Bill Keegan, who said that he was informed by town counsel that accepting the donations would be appropriate because there is nothing barring the selectmen from taking such an action for a gift or donation.

Chairman Jim DeVellis took issue with the objection, noting that he called the Attorney General’s office and like Keegan, was told that there is no legal barrier.

“When I hear terms like they’re not a real group, this group was established about two years ago, it’s been on the meeting minutes. They reach out to get donations and it’s covered under the meeting minutes of the recreation board,” DeVellis said. “You go back to the Friends of the Flagpole, we had a $15,000 donation and it went right through and I don’t think we’ve ever met in public as a group.”

When DeVellis said Coppola was silent when he asked for discussion at the Feb. 9 meeting, Coppola said she was going to object after Keegan brought up her concerns. But after Keegan left to take a call, she quietly voted against accepting the gift, so quiet that the vote was mistakenly recorded as a 5-0 vote instead of 4-1.

Members of the Recreation Department and Friends of Recreation spoke, urging the board to accept the donations.

“It has been clarified six ways from Sundays by town counsel, the attorney general, and our own attorney that the way we have been operating for the last two years is perfectly legal. I think it’s a disservice to the donors to not simply say thank you for these gets that have been passed on to Foxborough residents,” Recreation Board Chairman Heather Harding said

When Coppola said other friends groups such as the Friends of Seniors and Friends of Boyden Library make donations as an incorporated 501c3s, DeVellis, pointed out that the selectmen accepted donations from non-501c3 groups such as the Friends of Sharon Wason Pavilion and Friends of the Foxborough Flagpole.

“I’m going to wait until your group is legally constituted. I’m going vote no on all of these,” Coppola said.

“I really have to object to that. They are a legal body,” Keegan replied.

After the discussion, a gift donation valued at $169, for an adult beginner golf clinic from Barrie Bruce Golf School, a gift donation of an autographed football by Patriots running back LeGarrettt Blount, six New England Revolution tickets donated by the Kraft Group, and four VIP tickets to United Skates of America valued at $80 were accepted by the selectmen 4-1, with Coppola voting no. All four gifts will be included at the town’s Father/Daughter Dance