Fiscal Note
This resolution authorizes the release of $150,000 from the Corscot Trust for the remodeling of new clinic space at the Villager Mall. The current trust fund balance is approximately $377,000.
Title
Release Funds from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust for Public Health Clinic Space.
Body
Preamble:
Catherine M. Corscot (1875-1952) was a member of the City of Madison Board of Health from 1922 until the late 1940s when she retired from the Board because of ill health. For part of this time she served as its president. She was the daughter of John Corscot, a former mayor of the City of Madison. When Catherine died in 1952, her will created a trust to support two family members, with the stipulation that upon their death the remainder of the trust be given to the City of Madison for the maintenance or replacement of the East Washington Avenue Hospital, the hospital for contagious disease maintained by the City of Madison.
The last beneficiary died in 1996. In 1997, the remainder of the trust was given to the City of Madison. Since the East Washington Avenue Hospital had closed in December 1953, the Circuit Court for Dane County ordered that the Catherine M. Corscot Trust be used to aid in the prevention of contagious diseases. The Court stipulated that such funds could not be used to replace or supplement programs already in the operating budget.
"The City of Madison may, in its sole discretion, distribute so much of the principal for the purposes of the charitable Trust for the acquisition or construction of a facility or related equipment for the prevention and treatment of contagious diseases. Authority for the expenditure of such principal shall require an extraordinary two-thirds vote of the Common Council of the City of Madison. Any such acquisition or construction shall publicly recognize the contribution of Catherine M. Corscot." (Circuit Court in Probate, File No. 69-93-374-A, paragraph C)
Public Health has made very limited use of the Corscot Trust. Funds have been used in the last two years to match donations from local health institutions to support isolation for TB clients ($5,000 in 2008; $3,855 in 2009), but they were not used at all in at least the previous four years. The current balance in the trust is about $377,000 and it is administered by US Bank.
Public Health is planning to enter into an agreement with CDA to lease space at the Atrium mall. Public Health is planning to consolidate the TB staff at the Atrium with three clinic rooms that will be used for TB, AIDS/STI, and Refugee Services. The space is on the second floor of the Atrium at The Villager Mall and will need to be remodeled before it can be occupied. The space recently vacated by the South Madison Library will become the new WIC clinic, but there will also be three rooms set aside for the immunization program, allowing for the expansion of this program.
Public Health is asking to use $150,000 from the Corscot Trust for the remodeling of this new space. This will leave sufficient funds in the Trust so that there will continue to be funds available when needed for the TB isolation program.
Body:
WHEREAS Catherine M. Corscot died on May 17, 1952 and pursuant to her will a trust was created for the lifetime benefit of Ruby Corscot and Alice Bagg, provided that the residue be turned over to the City of Madison to be used for the care and maintenance of the East Washington Avenue Hospital, which was established for the treatment of contagious disease and maintained by the City of Madison;
WHEREAS the East Washington Avenue Hospital was closed on December 31, 1953 and the last lifetime beneficiary died in 1996, in 1997 the County Court for Dane County ordered that the Catherine M. Corscot Trust shall be used for the purpose of aiding in the prevention of contagious disease, and the medical care for citizens of Madison suffering from, or threatened by, contagious disease, with the requirement that these funds not be used to be used to replace or supplant funding for programs currently funded through the Public Health operating budget,
WHEREAS the Circuit Court further provided that the City of Madison in its sole discretion may distribute the principal for the acquisition or construction of a facility for the prevention and treatment of contagious disease,
WHEREAS Public Health-Madison and Dane County will be remodeling clinic space for the use of their immunization, tuberculosis, sexually-transmitted infection, and AIDS services,
WHEREAS the City of Madison has sole discretion of how to distribute funds from the Corscot Trust through a two-thirds vote of Common Council,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Common Council authorizes the release of $150,000 from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust for the purpose of remodeling clinic space at the Villager Mall to be used for immunization, tuberculosis, sexually-transmitted infection, and AIDS services,
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED that US Bank is authorized to distribute these funds from the Catherine M. Corscot Trust that it administers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Madison Common Council recognizes Catherine M. Corscot for the provisions she made through her trust for the care of people with contagious disease, which now extends more than 50 years after her death.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the remodeled clinic space will include a plaque recognizing the contribution of Catherine M. Corscot.