FAIRHOPE, Ala. — During a fiscal year when the City Council has scrutinized most requests for donations to community organizations, many groups have left empty-handed.

But not all groups.

The council voted Monday to give $7,500 to Honor Flight South Alabama after an appeal by local dentist Barry Booth, a leader of the program.

That donation approval came after the council’s decision to delay the requests from three other groups that had received budgeted appropriations but not been paid during the past fiscal year, according to city officials.

The council voted to wait two weeks until the current budget hearings and process conclude before deciding whether to pay those previously approved funds.

The amounts hanging in limbo for the three groups?

The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce must wait on the council to decide whether it will pay $35,000 for its research and publication of a Blueprint for Tomorrow. And the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance and Ecumenical Ministries Inc. will both be watching to see if the council gives them each the $10,000 it budgeted but never paid during the past year, Council President Debbie Quinn said.

“I’m not sure all council members understood that were those amounts we had budgeted for the past year,” Quinn said, who also voted to delay consideration of paying the amounts due. Quinn said she will raise the issue of their payment during the budget hearings that start today.

One issue regarding the amounts due concerns the language in the contracts with those groups, which might allow for the city not to pay if it doesn’t have the money.

“We need to fine tune how we give out money now,” said Councilman Mike Ford, who made the motion to approve the appropriation to Honor Flight.

Ford said Tuesday that he believes the council will end up paying the other three groups but that a process needs to be adopted to make sure that groups who receive approved donations can count on them.

Councilman Lonnie Mixon, who as Finance Committee chair has been one of the closest scrutinizers of budget requests, often voting to deny them, did not raise any questions about the Honor Flight request.

He said one thing stood out that distinguished the Honor Flight request from the others, which included an appeal from the new executive director of EMI for its emergency aid program to residents facing economic problems.

“I think maybe it was just the presentation,” said Mixon, regarding Booth’s remarks regarding how much the trips meant to the veterans. “I think it was more of an emotional type thing regarding respect for the veterans. That’s where I was on it.”

The Honor Flight program funds trips for World War II and other veterans to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C., where they are welcomed and receive honors for their service.

Mixon emphasized that the amount will only be paid after it goes through the budget process.

In the meantime, the other groups will wait for the council’s decision.

“I am happy for the Honor Flight, it is a very worthwhile cause,” said Darrelyn Bender, excutive director of the ESCOC. “I look forward to a positive vote in the next go-around by the city of Fairhope to release the Chamber’s Blueprint For Tomorrow funds. (That appropriation) funds the tourism arm of the chamber, among other economic stimulus efforts for our area. This helps us grow our businesses so that the businesses can support many beneficial community groups and activities.”