It’s two months into 2009, and Bainbridge service organizations have been spending like it was the end of 2008.

Based on allocations that were approved in the city’s 2009 budget on Dec. 17, service organizations have begun executing their own spending plans based on the budgeted amounts the city made last year.

However, city contracts with service organizations were never signed, in large part due to the city’s continued financial instability. That has left many service organizations – such as Heath, Housing and Human Services, Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council and the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association – with little room to maneuver.

“Don’t hold us up for another month of uncertainty,” BIAHC Executive Director Zon Eastes told council members Wednesday. “We need the money in order to do our work. We’ve executed contracts in good faith.”

Representatives of Bainbridge service organizations waited until after midnight Wednesday to hear the council address their situation. At the end of the meeting, the council ended up approving reduced contracts amounts.

But approved contracts came with the caveat that no more than 25 percent of the funding for BIDA and BIAHC, and no more than 33 percent of funds for HHHS, would be spent by the end of March, and April respectively. Council members also cautioned that contracts would likely be revisited as the city looks to make more cuts in March to ensure it can achieve its reserve and cash surplus targets.

Bainbridge Island Arts and Humanities Council took the most significant cut, a 25.6 percent decrease from its 2008 allocation. Council members approved the $272,250 amount recommended by the mayor. That number is 17 percent less than the council had originally earmarked for BIAHC in 2009.

HHHS, one of the larger organizations, took a small cut of $10,000 to bring its total 2009 allocations to $501,775. That number is actually up roughly 16 percent from their 2008 allocations.

The Bainbridge Island Downtown Association was the only organization spared from further cuts. Council members noted that the organization had already received a 27 percent trim in the 2009 budget.

While some council members voiced concern over entering into year-long contracts, the restrictions on spending amounts and the possibility that contracts will be revisited later in the year were enough to win over council unanimity.

“I feel these organizations are providing city services and we have contractual obligations to them,” said council member Debbie Vancil.