So many causes, so little cash.

That’s what the Forest Acres City Council spent almost two hours dealing with, as the group tried to allocate an anticipated $750,000 in hospitality tax funds to a handful of deserving non–profit organizations.

The council, all of whom were in attendance at the specially called meeting on August 3, wrangled first with the criteria set out for allocating the tax dollars provided by attorney Lee Holloway. Qualifiers must have as a priority promoting Forest Acres.

Only two requests were eliminated applying that standard, leaving more than 20 requests. With $300,000 committed to parks improvement and another $50,000 already pledged for the state museum, the council was left with about $400,000 to distribute with requests more than doubling that amount.

“You all have come to us with some great ideas, but you’ve come to a place with no money,” said Forest Acres Frank Brunson to the crowd filled with representatives ready to plead for their cause. “Everyone here is deserving.”

The group then approved events and expenditures that were specifically held in or designed to promote Forest Acres. They included Rooftop Rhythms ($55,000); Sweet Seasons ($55,000); the farmer’s market promotion budget ($10,000); AED training for police officers ($8,000); city website design improvements ($2,500); improvements to Pine Tree Park ($50,000); promotional materials to be used to at the South Carolina County Managers’ Meeting ($2,500); funds for Access Leisure ($3,000); overtime for police officers who work at the city’s festivals, events, and athletic events ($3,000); festival giveaways and handouts ($10,000); funds for the Forest Acres Festival ($26,500); and the annual baseball classic ($42,500).

Next the council approved $15,000 for the Forest Acres Junior Cycling Team and $25,000 for the Friends of Forest Acres Chamber Grant, leaving them to split around $100,000 among the nonprofits that benefit Forest Acres.

Representatives from the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington County, Columbia Children’s Theatre, Keep the Midlands Beautiful, Columbia Classical Ballet, Columbia City Ballet all made a pitch for their causes, and the council debated for a protracted amount of time regarding whether or not to give some to each or fully fund some and not others.

Brunson asked each representative if getting less than full funding would mean a death knell for its program. All responded that any amount would be graciously accepted and used.

In the end, a compromise was met. Funds to Pine Tree Park improvements were cut to $30,000, and the remaining entities received a little more than half of what was requested.

The only request that was not discussed or decided was an appropriation for $50,000 for Anderson Racing. Jordan Anderson, a Forest Acres native, has been working his way through the NASCAR circuit for several years. The city has been one of his main sponsors.

“We hope that we’ve made a few of you slightly happy,” Brunson said, as the crowd applauded at the end of the long meeting. “We did the best we could.”

Attending the special session was Ginger Dukes, Charles Fetner, Shell Suber, Brunson and Curtis Rye Jr.