Not only does a municipality such as Sundre have to keep in mind basic services and infrastructure when spending tax dollars — which alone can be a difficult task as residents tend to have different priorities in mind — but elected officials are also frequently faced with additional requests to help fund non-profit volunteer organizations.
Of course as we all know, there are only so many dollars to go around.
And there are even fewer cents left available in the budget once major capital projects and critical infrastructure maintenance as well as basic services are accounted for.
While council strives to find solutions to accommodate as many requests as possible, there is no pot of gold that can grant everyone’s wish. That means each request has to be considered individually.
A delegation of representatives from the Sundre and District Aquatic Society, the Sundre and District Agricultural Society as well as the Sundre Curling Club addressed council last week during the June 11 meeting.
Leona Bennett, who sits on all three boards, was accompanied by Roy Cummings, an Aquaplex board member, and Svend Nielsen, a director on the boards for the curling club as well as the ag society.
They expressed concerns that Sundre is the last municipality in Mountain View County to sign off on a new recreation and culture funding agreement with the county, and urged council to consider working more collaboratively with their organizations to ensure the multi-million-dollar facilities’ long-term sustainability.
While council ended up carrying a motion agreeing to future meetings to discuss possible options, a common thread in the conversation was that all non-profit organizations are struggling and need help, and that none should be prioritized ahead of others.
However, Mayor Terry Leslie pointed out an important distinction.
While volunteer groups each contribute invaluably in their own way to making Sundre a better place to live, not all non-profit organizations operate multi-million-dollar facilities that offer crucial recreational opportunities that draw new families to our community.
We could not agree more.
For one group, making space available at, for example, the community centre or offering administrative assistance towards grant applications might serve as a suitable contribution, but for another, some additional funding might simply be required.
There is no broad-brush stroke formula that can be applied and each funding request should be considered case-by-case.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
