The way I see it is like this.  Do you give a homeless drunk some money to help him or her out of their situation?  Hell no, they just buy booze with that money.  The best thing to give is something they NEED, like some food. 

If you want to donate to the library, etc for the foreseeable future, I would suggest bringing in a donation of books, copy paper, etc instead of giving money directly to this town.  Of course, the library has the Friends to trust with your donations but you get my point.  Find out what the place you would like to donate to needs and buy it.

Beach I think the whole point of the MOU’s  the town wants the non profits to sign is about CONTROLLING the money raised. I think the town wants all the money handed over as soon any fund raiser is complete. This is short sighted what if the Friends had handed over all money raised instead of having a rainy day fund. When the town needed the $50,000 to use for salaries the Friends wouldn’t have had the money. What if a non profit needs more than one fund raising event to meet their goal if they have something specific in mind to donate? Say they wanted to contribute for a new roof or new benches or new landscaping and couldn’t raise all the money at one time. Half the fun of contributing your time and effort for a non profit is being part of the decision making as to how the money will be spent.

Personally I think the Friends should slowly contribute what they have to the town and in the meantime start a new group. Say the Friends of Wareham whose mission statement might be to contribute to any group in need, (without specifically naming the library or any other town dept). It’s the only way to keep the town out of your business and not give control of the money raised to the town. I know it seems extreme but I think it is the only way to keep the town out of your business.

Beach you make a good point  about the Police Assn, does anyone know have they signed an MOU and do they have hand over all the money raised to the town?

I know that the Friends keep excellant records.  Watch Slager run with that statement!  Sorry.   

The town does not have anything to do with outside fundraising.  As long as proper procedures are followed, anyone can become a non-profit fund raising organization.  This is not done through the town, but through the state level.  We all know that the Friends have saved our library many times in large and small ways.  They are honorable people who care for their library.

As the town stands now, I would not want to see any funds from any non-profit group going into the coffers of the Treasurer's Office.  Not, in my opinion, that the Treasurer would be doing anything wrong, that office is just following directions from the money grubbers in office.

Friends of the Elderly can let Marcia give the money to the Treasurer's office if they want, because Marcia is so tight with the powers that be, that the $ will probably go where she wants it to.

I don't want to see any of my dollar donations going from the Friends of the Wareham Library to the town directly.  I specifically gave to have that money distributed by the Friends, through their directors, to the neediest areas of the Wareham Library.  Onset is a village in the Town of Wareham.  It is still Wareham.  They will need a host of items to open it's doors.  Give them the items they need to open their doors!

Please don't take offense, marny, but why should the Friends be "run out of town" by the few loud mouths that seem to be running things at town hall?  Most every one that knows me will tell you that if you ask me for something, I will bend over backwards to help in any way I can.  But, they also know that if someone TELLS me what I am to do (not an employer), the hair stands up on the back of my neck and my feet dig into the ground solid, with a NO answer. It took me too many years to learn to say no, but it has become easier the older I get.   The town hall has enough on it's plate without taking everything else on that isn't their business.  I think the Friends should remain who they are.  Don't cave in to the money grubbers.  Just let the money that has been raised stay in a bank account.  When the town realizes that the help they need isn't being given, maybe then they will turn their thinking caps around to the right position and not be lopsided any more.  Please understand that I am not totally against your suggestion, which is a bit extreme as you stated.  I do see your suggestion as a way to keep the money out of the town hall's hands and a way to keep the town out of the business of the Friends.  It is a shame that after all these years, our benefactor's are being given a slap to the face.

Is their some way that "something" about this could be approached at the BOS level and then at town meeting?  Seems like such a waste of time when you see who has caused all of this commotion.

I am wondering myself about the Police Assn. (being non-profit, I believe) receiving donations.  I don't know if the police dept. benefits from this money donated.  I am thinking that the W.P.A. gives this back to the community, such as the Christmas parade, scholarships, families in need, etc..  I don't remember reading or hearing of them purchasing items for the WPD but they could be donating such things as the portable defibrilators (example only). 

I'm sure someone close to the WPA can give us the lowdown.