FOLEY, Ala. — Foley City Council members approved action on Monday to negotiate with the “John McClure Snook Youth Club” regarding the city’s support of what has heretofore been the Foley Boys & Girls Club located in the Aaronville neighborhood of the city.

Monday’s action came as a result of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama in Mobile terminating its relationship with the Foley Club.

“The Boys & Girls Club issue came up in the last 45 days,” Mayor John Koniar said following Monday’s council meeting.

“We knew they were considering pulling out.”

According to Koniar, the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama will terminate its relationship with Foley at the end of the month. The reason the former is pulling out is because it wasn’t working financially, he said.

What Koniar called the “John McClure Snook group” has agreed to come in and help with fundraising for the local youth club. The city’s action on Monday was to reiterate its support for the youth club in the same amount of money that was given while the club was under the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama. Koniar said the city’s financial support was approximately $4,000 a month.

Councilman Charlie Ebert III abstained from voting.

“They are confident they can build a gymnasium there, and they can fundraise. We will probably be better off in the long run,” Koniar said of the Snook group.

At present, Koniar said approximately 30 students a day participate in the club on a daily basis.

“We’re very comfortable with what we’re doing,” Koniar said of Monday’s action.

“First of all, this is a budgetary issue. Each club has to stand on its own,” Mary Zoghby, executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama, said on Tuesday morning regarding the 10 clubs the organization oversees (seven in Mobile County, three in Baldwin).

The projected deficit for the Foley Boys & Girls Club from Oct. 1, 2008, to Sept. 30, 2009, is $40,000, according to Zoghby. She said the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama has been absorbing deficits from the Foley Club for some time.

“In the past we have utilized funds from federal grants,” Zoghby said of helping to offset deficits for Foley. But those are no longer available.

“It’s been a difficult decision; it didn’t happen overnight.”

The Advisory Council for the Foley Boys & Girls Club feels they could raise local funds better if the club is under local control, Zoghby said.

“We certainly feel this should be given a chance,” she said.

Of severing ties with the Foley Club, Zoghby said, “It’s unfortunate. We just want to be certain the children are served.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama own the building that houses the Foley Club but the property on which the building sets is the city’s, Zoghby said. If the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama vacates the building, the City of Foley takes over, she said, noting it was by and large local donations that built the building, including $250,000 from the Snook Foundation.

In other council action, approval was given to move the Jan. 19, 2009, council meeting to the following day due to Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

The rules were suspended for immediate adoption of an ordinance regulating sexually-oriented businesses.

Approval was given to spend $14,480 for resurfacing city tennis courts and make repairs.

A resolution was approved to spend up to $60,000 on a Durby Lane (Cambridge Parke) drainage project.

Approval was given for separate actions regarding Foley Planning Commission recommendations: Senior Center sidewalk project and Graham Creek Nature Preserve.

A resolution was approved moving the City’s Cafeteria Plan checking from Regions Bank to Bryant Bank, which currently holds the City’s payroll clearing account. Councilman Wayne Trawick abstained.