SUNDRE — A temporary funding request from the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society amounting to $90,000 spread out over three years was unanimously approved by council.
Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer, told elected officials during the regular Dec. 7 meeting conducted by teleconference that the money would help “to ensure that the programs vital to our community that benefit the citizens of Sundre and surrounding area, are able to continue.”
Following a prior discussion about the issue during council’s fall workshop, administration further looked into the request to come up with a recommendation for council’s consideration, said Nelson.
The result of that effort was a proposal to provide a funding commitment of $30,000 per year over a period of three years through a memorandum of agreement, she said.
Coun. Rob Wolfe moved the recommended action for council to approve the temporary funding, and that the mayor and chief administrative officer be authorized to sign the memorandum of agreement on behalf of the municipality.
“Greenwood Neighbourhood Place is a very vital organization to Sundre and surrounding (area),” said Wolfe, who also sits on the society's board as the town representative.
“If we lost them, it would be a devastation to this community,” he said, expressing appreciation for the support of his council colleagues and administration.
Speaking in favour of the motion, Coun. Todd Dalke said, “the general public can’t imagine how important this facility is, and the job that these people do.”
But the councillor wanted to know where the funds would be allocated from.
“Do we have a special reserve?” he asked, pointing out council was preparing to approve spending $90,000 of taxpayers’ money over three years after earlier during the meeting directing administration to review the budget and sharpen its pencils to further reduce costs.
Nelson said the funding will come out of the corporate stabilization fund.
Putting a vote to the motion, Mayor Terry Leslie asked whether anyone was opposed. Following a moment of silence, the mayor declared the motion carried.
The society “is a one-of-a-kind group of people who really look after a broad variety of needs in the community,” said Leslie.
“We are remote enough that other government agencies just simply can’t do what they do.”
