The Augusta Hursley Seal Trust and the Governor Chase S. Osborn Trust are held in a Governmental Trust Fund, earning interest, and paying expenditures to manage their assets. A portion of the net earnings are retained by the Trusts, and the rest is spendable each year:
- Seal Trust requires 75% plus an optional 15% of net earnings to be distributed annually to the City to fund appropriate projects.
- Osborn Trust requires 85% of net earnings to be distributed annually to the City to fund appropriate projects.
The spendable portion is transferred into the Trust's operating funds and held there until appropriate projects are approved and completed. The balance available at any given time is the fund balance, less unspent budget for current projects and is available on request.
Requesting Funds from the Augusta Hursley Seal Trust:
- A request for use of Seal Trust operating funds is for recreational projects that improve a current asset or create a new one. A request must be made to the Parks and Recreation Board for a recommendation, which would then go to the City Commission for final consideration and possible inclusion in the 6-year Capital Improvement Project plan.
- Examples of recreational projects potentially eligible for Seal Trust funding include expanding the City's existing parks, playgrounds, and recreational sites, acquiring new recreational sites and for repairs and maintenance of those recreational sites already in existence. However, expenses and costs for regular, recurring repair and maintenance may not be covered unless no other funding source is available.
Requests to the Parks and Recreation Board can be made through the City Staff contact:
Trish Kiczenski
906-259-1554
tkiczenski [at] saultcity.com
For more information on the Parks and Recreation board, including names and contact information for members, please visit the board's website page: Parks and Recreation Board
Requesting Funds from the Governor Chase S. Osborn Trust:
- A request for use of Osborn Trust operating funds is for historical projects or activities that relate to the City's history as outlined in the Osborn Trust. A request must be made to the Historical Development Commission (HDC) for recommendation which would then go to the City Commission for final consideration and possible disbursement or inclusion in the 6-year Capital Improvement Project plan.
- Historical projects or activities potentially eligible for Osborn Trust funding include activities for public purposes relating to interpretation, presentation, research, preservation, education and development of the City's history and heritage.
Requests to the Historical Development Commission (HDC) can be made through the City Staff contact:
Tracey Laitinen
906-632-5734
tlaitinen [at] saultcity.com
For more information on the Historical Development Commission (HDC), including names and contact information for members, please visit the HDC's website page: Historical Development Commission
Donation Policy:
There are occasions when interested parties wish to donate to the City. It is the policy of the City to consider all donation requests and decide if accepting the gift is in the best interest of the community. Donations generally come in the form of facility enhancements, monetary gift, memorial items, services/labor, equipment/materials, land/real property, or partnership projects.
Donation Policy Process:
The donation policy applies to all City Departments. To make a donation, a donation proposal application must be submitted by the donating party to the City Clerk. As necessary, the City may develop a review team to consider the proposal. In certain instances, the appropriate Department Advisory Board of the City Commission may be involved in the review process. The following guiding principles will be considered when evaluating a donation:
- Appropriate and safe location for placement, easements, utilities, existing structures
- Durability, high-quality materials, longevity, attractive
- Liability and safety
- Future or ongoing maintenance, budget impact
- Future site development plans/future land use considerations
- Natural environment
- Accessibility, usefulness
- Overall public acceptance/approval
Donations made on property with conservation easement or deed restriction shall require approval from the easement holder if required per the applicable easement or deed. Depending on the nature of the donation, the City may request supplemental information such as: detailed project budget, copies of cost estimates, site plans, engineered drawing or conceptual drawings associated with the project, and proposed timeline to construct.
Once the proposal is reviewed, City staff will respond to the applicant if the donation was accepted or with the reasons the donation was rejected.