SUNDRE — Although unanimous in its recognition of the Mountain View Seniors’ Housing Foundation’s importance, the municipal council was recently briefly split as to how to go about supporting an upcoming fundraiser for the non-profit organization that administers several lodges in the region.
The foundation supports four lodges in the district, including the Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living centre in the southwest part of town, as well as 11 senior self-contained buildings, which also includes a few in town.
The registered charity also serves as a vessel through which funds can be raised to offset the cost of purchasing items such as furniture and equipment as well as delivering programs for seniors, reads background information in council’s agenda package for the regular May 16 meeting.
The organization holds two key annual fundraisers: a spring event that brings together community, sponsors and vendors for a day of family fun, entertainment and networking; as well as a golf classic tournament in September.
Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, informed council the foundation had supplied the municipality with a promotional brochure featuring information about sponsorship options for the Rustic Family Fair, which takes place on Thursday, June 2 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Cremona’s Heritage Centre.
Leaving a final decision completely up to council’s discretion, administration prepared three possible motions: to accept the fundraiser's brochure for information; that council defer a decision on the sponsorship to the Grants to Organizations Committee for a recommendation; or to sponsor the event at a level to be decided by council. Although individual tickets are available at a cost of $50 per person, there are also four sponsorship levels: platinum, $3,000; gold, $1,500; silver, $1,000; and bronze, $500.
Coun. Jaime Marr moved to accept the brochure as information.
Coun. Owen Petersen spoke in favour of the second option to defer the request back to the committee.
Coun. Connie Anderson, on the other hand, felt council should simply proceed with approving a gold or platinum sponsorship.
“I don’t see why we would not do that?” asked Anderson.
Marr praised the foundation and recognized the potential to financially support the non-profit organization.
“It would be nice if they came as a delegation to share with us their thoughts if they were going to seek funding,” she said. “We do have a grants committee and that would be an option. But because they haven’t applied to that, I think we should just accept it as information.”
Speaking opposed to receiving the request for information, mayor Richard Warnock weighed in to say that prior to the pandemic, the event had been held annually for a number of years and had been supported by the foundation’s other partner municipalities.
“I did find out that the last one that they had, the other communities did just that (provide financial support for the fundraiser) and Sundre did not,” the mayor said, expressing a preference for deferring the item to the grant review committee.
“That’s what we designed it for,” he said.
Coun. Chris Vardas was also against simply accepting the request as information.
“It’s a good benefit to our community,” said Vardas about the foundation, adding, “They do a lot of good work.”
The councillor also spoke against sending the request to the committee for a recommendation.
“I want to be able—as a council—to say, ‘We should be a sponsor on this one’,” he said, adding whether to choose platinum or bronze or anything in between should be the matter of discussion.
“When you buy tickets like that, it shows as a council you’re supporting this organization,” he said.
Additionally, he said this approach would leave untouched the available amount budgeted for grants to community organizations.
Fully respecting her colleagues' perspectives, Marr expressed concern about potentially setting precedent.
“I would be worried that these sorts of thing would pop up throughout our next four-year term,” said Marr, adding that referring such requests back to the grant review committee is an “easy and very equal way of supplying money.”
One way or another, Vardas said council will ultimately eventually have to make a decision, regardless of whether it’s a recommendation from the committee.
The mayor then called a vote on the motion, which was defeated with Marr and Coun. Todd Dalke in support. Warnock, Vardas, Petersen, Anderson and Coun. Paul Isaac were opposed.
Anderson then moved for council to purchase a gold sponsorship at a cost of $1,500.
Dalke said he didn’t mind that approach as he felt the request falls outside of the grant review committee’s scope. Seeking clarification, the councillor directed a question to administration wanting to know where the funds would be drawn from.
“Council’s discretionary fund,” answered Nelson. “Council has I believe it’s $2,500 for discretionary giveaway funds for something important in the community.”
Anderson’s motion carried with only Marr opposed.
“It’s great when I go to the foundation and we’re not the only town that didn’t put up a sponsorship!” said Warnock.
