Response/Clarification To UDAEF Video and Claims
Published on November 14, 2024
Mayor Edward Brown’s Response/Clarification To UDAEF Video and Claims
The following video is Mayor Edward Brown and Upper Darby Townships' response to claims made by the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation (UDAEF) regarding the Township Council, ARPA funding, grant requests and the township’s on-going commitment to the arts and Upper Darby Summer Stage. Full Transcript below video.
Full Transcript:
Hello, Upper Darby residents. I want to take a moment to address recent discussions surrounding Summer Stage and the Arts and Education Foundation, and to address a recent video released by the Arts Foundation that inaccurately represents the situation. Summer Stage is a creation of the Upper Darby Township and the Upper Darby School District, not the Arts and Education Foundation. For 49 years, Summer Stage has been a cherished partnership between the Upper Darby Township and the Upper Darby School District. Together, the Township and the School District exclusively convened Summer Stage for 46 years. In doing so, the two bodies have for decades provided countless opportunities for Upper Darby children to explore the arts.
Three years ago, the Art Foundation requested to end its long-standing role as the fundraising affiliate of the school district where it had provided scholarships for students and teachers, as well as technology for classrooms. In several meetings that I attended as an Upper Darby school board director, the Art Foundation leadership explained that their connection to the district and the township hindered their ability to secure hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding from other organizations. As a result of this request to stand alone, The district and the township agreed to enter into a memorandum of understanding that permits the Art Foundation to use the summer stage license and convene summer stage. That agreement remains in effect today.
To that end, The Art Foundation has only been convening SummerSage for three years, not 49 years, as their messaging implies. Since our agreement with the Art Foundation, the township has annually contributed $125,000 in taxpayer dollars to provide scholarships for Upper Darby students. Additionally, the Upper Darby School District has generously offered its facilities at reduced rates to support our local students.
Again, both commitments remain in effect today. Secondly, there has been a misrepresentation of this administration's intent regarding the $800,000 in ARPA funding that the Art Foundation is seeking to establish a regional arts center. I want to clarify that this funding is not tied to Summer Stage, and in no way does the denial of this funding impact the convening of the 50th Summer Stage in 2025. The only thing that would prevent Summer Stage 2025 would the Art Foundation's unwillingness to do so.
As your mayor, I remain committed to supporting Summer Stage and the arts in our community. That being said, the ARPA funding is federal money, and there are specific regulations about how it can be used. The Arts Foundation's proposal to create a Regional Arts and Education Center, which, as outlined in their application, would utilize federal funding intended for Upper Darby Township residents to serve students from surrounding communities.
By federal law, these funds are intended solely for Upper Darby residents. To be clear, we have raised similar concerns about the Art Foundation's evolving approach to summer stage as well and have been working with them to address those concerns. It is also crucial to recognize that providing funding under these conditions could result in significant consequences, including the potential need to use Upper Darby taxpayer dollars to repay the federal government for any disqualified ARPA dollars spent.
There are other federal qualification concerns with the Art Foundation's application as well, including a lack of specific documentation and data supporting the need for their proposed program. specific clarification of their service area and the portion of funding requested that is allocated for Upper Darby residents, insufficient documentation for claimed matching funding, and concerns with the overall financial viability of the proposed venture as their 2023 year-end finances show a break-even status with no reserves. I want to emphasize that this administration's focus is not political. It is about ensuring that we are responsible stewards of federal dollars designated for Upper Darby residents. However well intentioned, any granting of Upper Darby funds must ultimately be vetted against local, state, and other federal guidelines and sound business practices. We must make fiscally sound decisions. that prioritize the needs of Upper Derby residents, not the region, and ensure that any funds we receive are used and dispersed appropriately.
My administration is committed to the arts and to the continued success of Summer Stage, and we look forward to the Arts Foundation convening of the 50th Summer Stage next year. I will work diligently to support these initiatives in a way that truly benefits our community. Thank you for understanding and support.
