Council questions fundraiser results

At last week's monthly workshop of Pine Haven's council, Mayor Karla Brandenburg brought forth a question from a citizen regarding the six benches NEWWA promised in their benefit event in March of 2023.

"Where are the benches?" the mayor asked, stating that a couple residents brought this subject to her. Councilwoman Suzette Edwards said she had similar questions addressed to her as well.

The invitation to the benefit stated that the group was raising money for six new benches to honor Jason Otto and Bruce Lang to be placed at the existing and new parks and cemetery, with any remaining funds to go towards NEWWA Kids' Day.

The town's governing body members each spoke to their frustration with the lack of response to this question and the failure of the organization to install the two benches they had purchased with donated funds.

Councilwoman Emily Smith said of the event, "This was their event, not a town event. However, tons of money was put into it by people who wanted to do it because of what [NEWWA] was going to do. We all gave so much including the event people, but where is [the money] and where are the benches?"

When Kelly Lang answered the question of the remaining four seats yet to be produced, according to Councilman Tom Roberts, the response was, "I don't think there are any more. I think these two are it."

With no further contact regarding installing the two in the cemetery, "I went over and measured for a pad," the councilman continued. "I found a fiberglass pad that's the same as they use under generators for $80. That's all we're asking them to do so [we] can weed eat..."

Lang remembers the situation differently.

"At first, we were told by the cemetery [board] we were good to go and then no, you're not good to go – you can put it outside the cemetery. We went back and forth with them and the more we thought about it – we've got one at the carwash and one at the Reservoir Bar for people to use and they're on display," he says.

"We kept getting mixed responses from the town so I thought, the people in town are using them and that's the whole purpose of it...There were never six planned, but we were planning on a few and they're very expensive...The benches cost approximately $3500 apiece."

NEWWA's Sharon Coleman also shares her thoughts.

"We had these sitting outside the car wash for 13 months. We finally decided we were going to put one across the street, outside the Reservoir so people can at least see one of them and they're still in town where everybody can see them and sit on them. We've already got them set up, where they're going to be," she says.

While there are no statements available of the total amount raised for this endeavor at last year's event, Brandenburg said at the workshop that the council figures the numbers to be in the neighborhood of $20,000-$30,000 and wants an accounting, the benches or a conversation. However, as of this report, NEWWA considers the matter closed and the project complete, according to Lang.