What's most wacky about the original poster's situation is that one goofball elder can't decide what the local needs part is going to be; it has to be determined and agreed upon by the entire body.
What a loony thing to say from the platform! If you find money on the ground and you can't easily find out who lost it, IT IS YOURS. A better local needs part would have been on securing one's wallets and purses so as to avoid dropping money on the ground!