MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Mountain View County council has decided not to re-allocate $23,645 to Mountain View Seniors' Housing (MVSH) after the grant funding was returned to the municipality when it could not be used due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting, held in person and on Zoom.
A housing management body under the Alberta Housing Act, MVSH operates seniors lodges in Olds, Didsbury, Sundre and Carstairs, as well as 12 manor sites, with a total of 440 residents.
MVSH received a total of $27,000 under the county’s transportation grant program in 2020 and 2021, with $23,645 left unspent and subsequently returned to the municipality.
MVSH had requested that the money be re-granted for 2022 so the funds could be used for enhanced programs, activities and additional new technology (including iPads) for lodge residents.
“The fact that our residents have not be able to get out into the community in the last two years has, in my opinion, greatly affected their health and well-being, as well as their mobility,” MVSH chief administrative officer Sam Smalldon said at the March 9 council meeting.
“We want our seniors to get out into the community and be active once again. And when they are inside they also need to have activities.”
During the March 23 council meeting, councillors held a discussion on the proposal to re-grant the funds to MVSH.
Deputy reeve Greg Harris said, “My concern is the money being asked for isn’t to be used for transportation. As I read it they want to use it for other things and that cause me some concern.”
Coun. Dwayne Fulton asked where the returned funds had been placed, with Chris Atchison, director of legislative services, replying that the funds were re-allocated to general surplus.
“I’m struggling with being supportive of giving them the money back to buy some iPads or bring some extra entertainment in,” said Fulton. “I think we should just move forward and not worry about the past.”
Coun. Alan Miller said, “I’m thinking the same as Dwayne. The past two years things have been closed up and they weren’t able to move out and about, but they are coming again this year for transportation grant (request). If we address this year’s needs I think they would be put to better use. I’m saying keep the money here and look to this year’s funding for more.”
Coun. Gord Kreb said, “I’d like to see us give the money back. It was theirs at one time and they have given it back to us. I’d really like to see us try to find the money to give it back to them.”
Reeve Angela Aalbers said, “I would have been more sympathetic to this if they had come back in 2020 and said, ‘We can’t get out, let’s have some iPads and let’s have something else’. I think it would have been more appropriate at the time.”
Councillors Peggy Johnson and Jennifer Lutz did not comment during the council discussion of the matter.
In the end, council passed a motion to receive the MVSH re-grant request as information. Council did not consider an alternative motion put forward by administration calling for the unused funds to be re-granted.
Meanwhile, MVSH has applied for a 2022 transportation grant from the county totalling $28,936. The community service grant committee will consider that application along with others submitted by other community groups, council heard.
