Group gets grant, but not an apology

CITY HALL — A bulk of the nonprofit groups that applied for Community Development Block Grant funds came away from Tuesday's City Council meeting reasonably happy, but not the Armenian Relief Society.

The chairman of the Community Development Goals Committee read a prepared statement Tuesday calling comments that some felt were anti-Armenian in nature that were expressed during a committee meeting "unfortunate" — but not offering an apology.

The committee, tasked with making recommendations to the council regarding dispensation of block grant funds, took heat this month over allegations that during a meeting, some committee members suggested that the Armenian Relief Society would be more likely to receive funding if the organization removed "Armenian" from its name.

The Armenian Relief Society provides assistance to immigrants and refugees to the United States and was one of more than a dozen local agencies requesting public funds Tuesday.

Responding to the allegations for the first time in a public forum, committee chairman Kirk Bowren read a letter to the council on behalf of the committee.

"Questions and comments were made in reference to the connotation of the Armenian Relief Society name, but only in the context of the universality of services and whether or not the name alone would tend to limit its clientele and attract only given segments of the community," he said. "No condition or other funding prerequisite was intended or meant by any question or comment."

But the statement did not satisfy some Armenian community members in attendance Tuesday, who noted that the committee's recommendations included reduced funding for the relief society this year.

"I did hear the chairperson of that committee speak and I appreciate those comments," said Shant Minas, a Burbank resident who was speaking on behalf of the Armenian National Committee Burbank Chapter. "However, it did sound like he was trying to paint what was said at some of those meetings — some of those slighting comments and sentiments — in a different light and make it sound like we were taking words out of context."

Some committee members had voiced reservations about handing over public funds to an organization that identifies itself with a particular ethnicity or religion — a sentiment maintained by Councilman Dave Golonski.