In an overwhelming show of support, the Douglas County board voted in favor of keeping Goodwill’s tax exemption status.
But the 6-1 vote came with scrutiny, especially from Commissioner Jim Cavanaugh.
A cloud still hovers over the non-profit after last year's exposé on how much it paid its top executives.
Recently, Goodwill officials met with the county assessor’s office to answer questions and provide information about its operation, according to an attorney representing the nonprofit.
During the board meeting, Cavanaugh applauded the transparency at times but didn’t hold back his transparency.
You should have recognized by now, we are reluctant to do this based on the recent history of what’s been pretty publicly discussed, he said.
In the end, only Commissioner Clare Duda voted no.
Other members said a change in leadership at Goodwill and other corrections convinced them to grant the status for 2017.
Still, Goodwill says they know the court of public opinion is divided right now.
"We're in the process of doing some great things at Goodwill and we're really excited about them but we also recognize it's going to take time for people to see that,” said Brent Koster, vice president of missions advancement at the organization.
The board made it clear it’ll be watching Goodwill closely while it gets its house in order for future tax exemptions.
Presently, the nonprofit is in the midst of a national search for its next CEO.
