SCHENECTADY City Gives Belmont Pop Warner a One-Time Grant, but Critics Say More Needs to Be Done

SCHENECTADY — City Gives Belmont Pop Warner a One-Time Grant, but Critics Say More Needs to Be Done

The long-running Belmont Pop Warner football team will receive city funding for the first time after the Schenectady City Council reached a compromise Monday, approving a one-time $25,000 grant.

The youth football program, which serves more than 200 children across five age groups — including girls flag football and cheer teams — had requested $40,000 to help fund its 2025 season alongside its usual fundraising efforts.

While some have praised the City Council for finally providing financial support, others argue the gesture falls far short of what’s needed.

“ONE TIME? I’m no football expert, but isn’t there a football season every year?” said Orlondo Otis Hundley II, known professionally as 97OTIS, a local artist and activist. “You want coaches and parents to come back every year, hat in hand, begging for your support when you’ve had the opportunity to support them for years.”

For years, supporters of Belmont Pop Warner have expressed frustration over the lack of consistent city support. Instead of creating a stable funding mechanism for a program that benefits hundreds of local youth, they argue, the city has left the organization dependent on yearly fundraising efforts, subject to the uncertainty of temporary aid.

“This is why you didn’t get enough signatures,” Hundley added, referencing recent political challenges faced by city leadership. “You fund a wasteful golf course for up to, and probably above, a million dollars. You spend thousands, I assume, on light bulbs and new speed limit signs you label as development. But a purple light shining on trash-filled sidewalks changes nothing.”

The comments reflect a growing sentiment that Schenectady’s spending priorities are out of step with the everyday needs of many residents. While city funds are regularly directed toward projects like golf course maintenance and aesthetic upgrades, programs that directly serve local youth often struggle for financial stability.

“These city councilors are watching their support crumble in front of our eyes,” Hundley continued. “Instead of investing in one of the most important institutions in our community, they have put it on monetary life support when they could have built it into one of the best programs in the country.”

Though the compromise secures this year’s funding, the debate highlights a larger conversation about how Schenectady allocates resources and supports its young people. As Belmont Pop Warner gears up for the 2025 season, the question of long-term financial support remains unanswered.