Four organizations that partner with the City of Newton will receive a total of $108,000 from the City in fiscal year 2027, which begins July 1st of this year. Over half the money is going to Newton Main Street, which is getting a $20,000 boost in funding. Two Newton City Council members, Second Ward representative Melissa Dalton and At-Large council member Joel Mills, expressed concerns about how Newton Main Street is operated and its leadership. Newton Mayor Randy Ervin addressed that concern before the city council voted four to two this week to approve the partnership funding. 

“It’s our job to decide whether we put this money in our budget or not. That’s our decision. A decision on how Newton Main Street is run, who runs it, and their director is their board’s decision. So we will trust that the board will run that operation to the best of their ability.”

Dalton and Mills cast the “no” votes. Newton Main Street will receive $60,000 in funding in Fiscal Year 2027. That money will come from the North Central Tax Increment Financing District. The other partner agency funding, $18,000 to the Newton YMCA, $15,000 to United Way of Jasper County, and $15,000 to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Jasper County, is coming from the City of Newton’s Local Option Sales Tax Revenue.