HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2016-01-28, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016.
Councillors skeptical of 14/19 fundraising goals
Continued from page 1
tenders going out until the money
was in the bank, and, while Seip
understood Vodden's stance, he said
that's only part of his concern.
"We're catching ourselves behind
the eight ball here," he said. "Two
million dollars needs to show up by
March 31. I just don't see that
happening."
North Huron Chief Administrative
Officer Sharon Chambers said Seip's
concerns were among several others
that would need to be addressed.
"If we don't meet [the new]
deadlines, what happens if we're
awarded the grant suddenly after we
deferred the construction,"
Chambers posited. "We have to talk
to the Department of Heritage and
we have to reach out to 14/19... to
raise the concerns council has raised
tonight and get an update."
Deputy -Reeve James Campbell
also wondered how much staff time
had already been spent on the
project, though Newson said the true
investment from the municipality's
staff wouldn't come until after the
$2.7 million in funding was secured.
"Other than preparing this report
and doing some work with the
architect, I wouldn't say hours [are
being accumulated]," she said. "If
we get the green light, then there is
time spent to do tendering and the
project needs to be finalized then. It
will be a lot more time consuming
then."
Newson then reported that the
alternative to the deferral was to
either shelve the project or have the
municipality fund it itself.
"The building requires the
renovations," she said. "We're
fortunate to have a group that has
stepped forward. It's going to be
community -changing when it's
completed and, if we can be patient,
we will be a better community at the
end of the construction."
Vodden moved to approve the new
timeline, with Campbell seconding,
however Campbell did address
additional concerns before the vote.
"In October [when council met
with 14/19], I asked for us to get an
update monthly on the fundraising
process," he said. "I have yet to see a
report. There really isn't much point
in going to March 31 until we get a
report so we have a bit of an idea. If
they come to us on March 31 and
have nothing, I'll feel like we're
being led on."
Seip once again asserted that
raising the full $2.7 million in just -
over two months wasn't viable in his
mind.
"If they said October [2016] or
March 2017, I would understand,"
he said. "We're talking about $2.7
million and it's not going to be here
unless someone wins the Powerball.
Give me realistic timetables and I
might have a better feeling about
what's coming down the pipe."
Reeve Neil Vincent stated that
many foundations give out funds
during January and February, so
14/19 can "pick up a certain amount
there." He also stated that he wasn't
sure how the fundraising was going,
a common statement among North
Huron Council and staff.
"I'm sure there are people in the
community making their own
donations sometime in the first three
months this year," he said. "That's
what I'm figuring on myself. There
will be money coming in. How
much, however, I don't know and a
decision will have to be made in
April"
In the end, however, the decision
to defer the project timeline was
itself deferred on a motion from
Councillor Yolanda Ritsema-
Teeninga, who suggested not dealing
with the issue until Feb. 1, when
more information could be obtained
from 14/19.
MAILING REQUEST
In a related discussion, Chambers
stated that 14/19 had requested
having information for donating to
the fundraising initiative including
in the next set of tax bills from the
municipality.
Chambers said that council would
have to debate the validity of such a
request as 14/19 is not a committee
of council and, thus, the
municipality could be opening itself
up to similar requests from any
public group and Campbell agreed.
A motion to not put the flyers in
the tax mailer was made and carried
unanimously.
RENTAL WAIVING
As part of Newson's general report
to council, a request was made for a
waiving of the rental rate for
Memorial Hall for "A Jazz
Christmas", a concert put on by local
singer Annie Sparling and some
local jazz musicians as a fundraiser
for 14/19.
The report indicated that, as a
fundraiser for a community group,
the rental was already under a
community rate, which represents a
Season swap
Normally outdoor basketball is a warm -weather sport, but
for students at Hullett Central Public School it, like soccer,
is a year-round past -time. Shown are Hailey Govier, left,
and Ameera Pawitch enjoying a quick game of pick-up
basketball during recess last week. (Denny Scott photo)
discount from a normal rental rate.
Council had previously passed a
bylaw outlining its policy for fee
waiving, stating that rentals could be
reserved at a reduced rate for
community groups or fundraisers,
but not waived completely. The
reason behind not waiving rentals of
the hall fell to the fact that staff time
is necessary before and after events
so if the rental fee is waived,
someone still has to pay for staff
time.
Newson included the request in
her report, as the event happened in
2015.
All 2016 requests are to be
handled by staff through the policy
framework set up in the bylaw and
only brought to council under
extenuating circumstances.
Finding the net
The Blyth Brussels Crusaders Bantam LL were in action on Sunday at the Blyth and District
Community Centre, taking on the Listowel Cyclones. It was a tightly -contested game, but the
locals came out on the wrong side of a 5-2 score. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Hata. Mats. hats
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