The 5-0 San Diego County Board of Supervisors vote June 25 to approve the county’s 2019-20 budget included the allocation of Community Enhancement funds from the County of San Diego’s Transient Occupancy Tax revenue, and 14 East County organizations will receive grants from the Community Enhancement program, including the Olaf Wieghorst Museum in El Cajon and the Lemon Grove Historical Society.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob had a $1,137,113 Community Enhancement budget and made recommendations on how much of her budget would be given to each group requesting funds. The recommendations were then ratified by the entire Board of Supervisors during the approval of the budget. Although the revenue is derived only from TOT money collected from lodging facilities in the unincorporated portion of the county, organizations in incorporated cities are also eligible for funding.
Each county supervisor also has a $2 million discretionary Neighborhood Reinvestment Program budget, so some Community Enhancement requests can be fulfilled by that source. Most organizations received less than the amount they requested, and the money is not based on the previous year’s allocation.
The Lakeside Chamber of Commerce will receive $75,000.
The money will be used for projects intended to improve Lakeside’s business climate.
The Spring Valley Chamber of Commerce will be given $65,000. The chamber will use the money for projects intended to assist with the revitalization of Spring Valley.
The Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association has facilities both in La Mesa and in Campo. The $47,051 Community Enhancement award will help support a roof and wall repair project and will also allow for the installation of a sound system for the rail cars.
The East County Economic Development Council was allocated $40,000. The funding will be used to promote economic development in East County including support for the East County Small Business Development Center.
The Water Conservation Garden is in Rancho San Diego, and Friends of the Water Conservation Garden was awarded $35,000 to support the spring and autumn festivals, a 20th anniversary celebration, and garden outreach materials.
A $25,000 grant for the Heritage of the Americas Museum in Rancho San Diego will support digitization of the artifact collection, research, and advertising and other promotion of the museum.
The 2019-20 award to the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce was $20,000. The funding will assist with a tourism Website and with support of farmers’ markets, cooperative buying, and marketing schemes.
The Olaf Wieghorst Museum in El Cajon will be given $15,700. That funding will help to secure a collections storage area, enhance the museum garden, support a visual arts workshop with high school students, support transportation for students and seniors, and support marketing and other promotional materials.
The East County Equestrian Federation operates the Lakeside Equestrian Park. The $14,000 Community Enhancement grant will help support marketing and fundraising activities.
The $10,000 award to the Lakeside Historical Society will support the completion of the Lakeside Agricultural Museum, the restoration of wood trims and details inside the Old Church chapel, and upgrades of the flooring inside the Old Church chapel.
Heaven’s Windows, which is based in Spring Valley, will receive $9,000 to help fund a summer child nutrition program.
The $8,000 grant to the Spring Valley Historical Society will support a heating and air conditioning unit, security lights and cameras, a smart television, tree trimming, and operating expenses including insurance.
St. Madeleine Sophie’s Training Center, which is in El Cajon, will be given $5,000 to support the Alley Cat Art Walk.
The Lemon Grove Historical Society was allocated $2,000. The money will help support construction of a museum exhibit.
