qathet Regional District’s finance committee has recommended more than $86,000 in grants-in-aid for community organizations.
At the committee’s July 15 meeting, directors reviewed requests from 11 groups. Directors held a special workshop prior to the finance committee meeting to determine who would, and who would not, receive grants-in-aid.
Finance committee chair and city director George Doubt said there were 11 motions to consider in the recommendation, one for each grant-in-aid.
Electoral Area C director Clay Brander had a question about the grant-in-aid for Powell River ORUG Trails Society. While the society had requested $42,586, the recommendation was for a grant of $16,945. Brander asked how that figure was arrived at.
Manager of financial services Linda Greenan said the funds that were available were looked at in the grants-in-aid general account and then an effort was made to figure out how much could be given to each group. She said the request from ORUG was examined and the society had requested double the amount requested the previous year.
“This recommendation is more consistent with prior years and also aligns with past expenses that ORUG has identified in their project budget,” said Greenan.
Brander then asked about applications from Myrtle Point Golf Club, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 232 and Van Anda Volunteer Fire Fighters’ Association, which did not have recommended grants-in-aid. For the golf course and firefighters, the recommendation is that they be postponed. Brander said he wondered if postponing gives the impression or assumption that requests will be approved in a later intake.
Greenan said the idea behind this is that it is not a given that postponed decisions will be approved. In a second intake, they will be examined with fresh eyes once requested information has been received, she said.
“If they get the information to us in time, it could be included with the reviews for the second intake,” said Greenan.
Brander said he wouldn’t want the assumption to be made by the two parties.
Electoral Area D director Sandy McCormick said her question was about Texada Island library. She said it had requested $2,000 and she understands the reduction in its request to $865 is because of anticipated return of rental income. She asked if the library could apply for the balance in the second intake in August if those funds aren’t forthcoming from the Powell River library board.
Brander, who sits on the library board, said he believes the matter is going to come up very soon and hopefully there will be an answer as to whether Powell River Public Library intends on turning over the rent.
McCormick asked if the answer is no, the money will not be returned to the Texada library, if the library can apply for the second intake for the balance.
Greenan said applications will be accepted until 4:30 pm on August 31, so if the library board meets in the middle of the month, the Texada library should have enough time to let the regional district know it wants to apply for the rest of the funding.
Electoral Area B director Mark Gisborne said the workshop held to determine grants-in-aid was productive. He said, however, having the decision-making process outside of the public eye is risky and potentially violates the Local Government Act that underlines the spirit of transparent government.
“Our workshop had a quorum of the board, it was chaired and a relatively formal process for a meeting took place,” said Gisborne. “We now have this motion before us, which is finalizing the decisions we made in that workshop. I believe what we did was unethical and I would request that the board abstain from doing such an activity again outside the public eye. We should do it again, but this time in a formal setting in front of the public eye.”
City director CaroleAnn Leishman said there were no resolutions made at the workshop, no motions made and no votes taken.
Gisborne said he would like to clarify that his understanding from the office of the ombudsperson and inspector of BC municipalities is just because a vote is not taken, it does not mean a meeting did not take place.
The following grants-in-aid were recommended:
· LIFT Community Services of qathet Society, $50,000
· Powell River and District Christmas Cheer Committee, $750
· Powell River and District United Way (ORCA Bus), $5,000
· Texada Arts, Culture and Tourism Society, $12,000
· Powell River Community Radio Society, $750
· Powell River ORUG Trails Society, $16,945
· Texada Library, $865
There is still $49,766 available in the qathet Regional District grants-in-aid fund.
