Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : City to Donate $70,000 to Red Cross

Despite a new policy restricting charitable contributions and a reluctance to dip into its reserves, the Palmdale City Council decided to give $70,000 to the local chapter of the American Red Cross, calling it an investment, not a contribution.

The City Council, in a 3-1 vote with Councilman David Myers dissenting, approved the donation request from the Antelope Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross to help the relief agency complete its 5,000-square-foot facility, its first permanent home in its five decades here.

Fran Stewart, executive director of the local chapter, said the chapter also requested $70,000 from the city of Lancaster, but no decision on that has been made.

Fifteen months ago the Red Cross began construction on its new facility on land leased from the Air Force. Building and equipping the headquarters is estimated to cost $300,000 more than the $500,000 the Red Cross chapter has in its building fund. The building is about 65% complete and the goal is to move in by the end of the year.

Besides providing a place where the Red Cross can draw blood from donors, the headquarters building will also coordinate emergency shelter and food programs.

Palmdale council members had no qualms about the benefits of the facility but were instead concerned about a policy they adopted just last year saying that donations should be made through a competitive process.

In addition, the city only budgeted $32,500 for donations for this fiscal year.

Myers said he voted against the donation because he felt uncomfortable violating the policy. Councilwoman Teri Jones expressed similar concerns, but in the end agreed to allocate the $70,000 from the city’s general fund reserves.