BARRHEAD - The Barrhead and District Senior Citizen's Society will have to find a different funding source to offset the cost of upgrades to the Seniors' Drop-in kitchen facility.
County of Barrhead councillors denied society's requests for up to $12,000 by a 5-2 vote during their June 18 meeting. Councillors Bill Lane and Paul Properzi were opposed.
Society president Jeannine Kowalski requested the funds via letter stating they would use the money to update the building's electrical panel and ventilation system and install additional shelving in the pantry, among other changes.
The society made a similar request from the Town of Barrhead council, and they were similarly denied.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun said the request did not fall under the municipality's community grant funding policy, and even if it did, there is not enough money remaining in the fund.
The policy, which has been in place since February 2021, allows eligible community not-for-profit organizations meeting specific criteria to receive up to $2,500 in funding that can go towards a project or event that benefits county residents. Council handed out the final $250 of the pool fund at its May 21 meeting.
Oyarzun added that the town's CAO, Edward LeBlanc, also met with Kowalski and suggested that society be eligible for a Community Facility Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant.
CFEP is a matching provincial grant that provides financial assistance to acquire, build, purchase, repair, renovate, upgrade or expand sports, recreational, cultural or other related public-use community facilities.
Unfortunately, Kowalski said that the society had already started, and thus, it was unlikely that they would qualify for the grant.
Coun. Ron Kleinfeldt asked if the society included any financial information with their request.
"Do we know if they have any reserves?" he asked.
Oyarzun said the funding request letter was the only documentation they received.
Deputy Reeve Marvin Schatz suggested that if society started the project, it should have the money to complete it.
Reeve Doug Drozd agreed, saying he was inclined to deny the request.
"I think they are strong enough to stand on their own," he said.
Coun. Walter Preugschas also leaned towards denying the request, adding that if they approved it, they would be going against themselves in a sense.
"[In our community grant policy], we say that they have to apply before they start any work," he said.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
