It’s the time of year when many of Bastrop’s non-profit groups come calling on the city council for help to continue their operations.

The requests from 13 of the groups total $437,270 for fiscal year 2010-11 funds, which are derived from the city’s collection of hotel occupancy taxes. The council has been hearing presentations from the groups over the past several weeks, including at a workshop session on Monday night.

Representatives of the Lost Pines Golf Club, the Bastrop Fine Arts Guild and Environmental Stewardship made their presentations.

Judge Benton Eskew, representing the Lost Pines Golf Club, is asking the city for $25,000 to help continue operations of the historic golf course, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps, under the administration of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Eskew suggested that the $25,000 could be converted to pay vouchers that would be located at area hotels, the chamber of commerce and other central locales for out-of-county visitors to use to play a round of golf. The user would show identification, such as a driver’s license, before receiving the free passes to show that they were not local residents looking for a free day at the golf course.

Eskew told the council that Lost Pines remains a unique course and its mixture of clientele is a selling point not to be underestimated.

“Bastrop is not a country-club type community,” Eskew said. “People from all races and socio-economic backgrounds like to come and meet here over a game of golf.”

Council members said they liked the idea of vouchers to attract tourists who might also shop downtown later or visit area restaurants.

The council also heard from Steve Box of Environmental Stewardship, a local non-profit and advocacy group for protecting the local ecology. Environmental Stewardship is asking for $20,000, up from the $18,000 it received in 2009-10.

When Mayor Terry Orr asked of Box, “What is Environmental Stewardship, because I honestly don’t know,” Box was ready.

Box handed out a pamphlet that notes the organization is involved in surface and groundwater conservation, developing nature-tourism opportunities and sometimes attempting to influence legislation that they consider beneficial to the local environment.

But Box assured the council any funds received would not be used for promoting political agendas or candidates running for office.

The council could consider fund approvals for the non-profit groups at their Aug. 24 regular meetings.