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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-02-15, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018. Steffler Foundation denied funding by county By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Despite emotional pleas to the contrary, Huron County Council has opted not to support the Tanner Steffler Foundation in its infancy. Council made the decision at a special all -day budget meeting held in Goderich late last month. The foundation requested a grant of $650,000 over five years at an annual rate of $130,000. The foundation requested funds to create school outreach positions, to create a phone application to connect in -need students with services to combat mental health illness and addiction, guest speakers, research and the development of a centre in Huron County to assist at -risk youth who aren't being served by the current healthcare system. Huron East Deputy -Mayor Joe Steffler, for whose grandson the foundation is named, said he would be supporting the grant, not because his son and daughter-in-law created the foundation, but because it's a good idea and would provide services where there aren't any in Huron County. Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that if the foundation's request were to be granted, he felt like it should be subject to the same criteria as other grants, meaning that the foundation would have to submit a business plan and report to council annually on the use of the funds. MacLellan did say, however, that he felt that council should provide funding for the foundation for three years, rather than five. He compared the money to the $400,000 the county sets aside for the Huron Clean Water Project every year, saying that surely if the county is going to provide money for fencing around waterways on farms, there should be some money for the mental health and wellbeing of residents. "If the province doesn't take care of our people, I think we have an obligation to do so," MacLellan said. Several councillors took issue with MacLellan's point. They said that the county is increasingly getting pulled further into healthcare funding, which should be paid for by the provincial government. However, MacLellan said, if the province is coming up short, it's up to the county to step in. Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek agreed, saying that the county has supported numerous healthcare initiatives over the years, whether it be the Gateway Centre for Excellence in Rural Health in Seaforth or for equipment purchases in Goderich and Clinton, the county has paid for healthcare before and he felt it should do it again. Bluewater Mayor Tyler Hessel disagreed, saying that with a provincial election slated for June, he felt mental health in Ontario would be a major campaign issue. He felt that green -lighting the grant would be premature because whichever party wins the election would no doubt make a large commitment to the mental health of Ontarians. He said he was happy to support the foundation as a lobbyist with the provincial government, but not with county funds. South Huron Deputy -Mayor David Frayne said he felt that approving the grant would be unfair to other community groups and champions for other local causes. Since the county froze all grants in preparation for the costs associated with the International Plowing Match, it would be unfair, he said, to then approve this grant, despite how worthy a cause it may be. Steffler said he felt that reaching out into the Huron County schools was "a must" and that council should invest in the county's future. He said that mental health and addiction are problems across the province, but the provincial government not having a solution in place isn't a reason for council members to sit on their hands. "It would be nice to be a leader for a change," Steffler said. Steffler added that the foundation is already in full swing and that fundraising is underway. Concern over the county being its sole donor is unfounded he said. While right now the county would be providing over 80 per cent of the foundation's funds, founders are hoping that partnerships and further fundraising would increase the foundation's revenue in the coming years. Whether or not the county decided to support the foundation, Steffler said, it would go ahead. South Huron Mayor Maureen Cole said she felt council was voting with its heart rather than its head on the issue. She said that if the request had come from the "Jane Doe Foundation" council wouldn't give it a second thought, but because it is associated with a councillor's family it was being considered. Steffler disagreed, saying he didn't have a conflict of interest as he didn't stand to benefit financially from the grant and said he was supporting it because it is a good idea, not because it is tied to his grandson. Council defeated a motion to support the foundation for three years with six votes supporting the grant against eight votes against it. Voting in favour of the grant were Councillors Neil Vincent, Joe Steffler, Ben Van Diepenbeek, Bernie MacLellan, Roger Watt and Paul Gowing, while Warden Jim Wark now full-time CAO Warden Jim Ginn and the Council The role of CAO serves as the link of the County of Huron are pleased between Huron County Council and to announce the appointment of county administration. The CAO Meighan Wark to the position of oversees the senior management Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) team and is responsible for effective Feb. 7. delivering council's long-term Wark has served the county for strategy and vision. over 11 years. During the past six "I look forward to continued months, she has been in the acting collaboration with Council, staff and CAO role as well as the Director of stakeholders as I take on this new Cultural Services, a role in which role. Key priorities as CAO will be she has served for almost seven to further advance strong years. "County Council has been organizational culture, customer very happy with the performance of service as well as community and Meighan as Acting CAO," said economic development projects" Huron County Warden Jim. "She has said Wark. "I feel tremendously all the required skills necessary for a lucky and proud to have the long and successful career as our opportunity to serve the community CAO." I continue to call home in this way." Ginn and Councillors Art Versteeg, Tyler Hessel, David Frayne, Kevin Morrison, Jim Fergusson, Jim Donnelly and Maureen Cole voted against it. Central Huron Deputy - Mayor Dave Jewitt was absent. 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