Barrhead County will not be participating in cost-sharing expenditures exceeding the $5 million contribution to the Town’s proposed aquatic centre, County Reeve Bill Lee said during a meeting of Barrhead County council on Friday, Jan. 22.
“Our hands, as far as contributing more funds to this project, are tied, at least as far as the plebiscite and our agreement to the town goes,” he said, adding that the town had sent a letter to the county on Jan. 12 to request consideration of cost-sharing $284,318 to add additional deck space onto the new aquatic centre.
Deputy Reeve Doug Drozd told council that he and Mayor Gerry St. Pierre had had a conversation at a recent function about the necessity of the proposed cost-sharing project.
“He said there was going to be a deficit to fill in the area between the curling rink and the site of the pool, and his challenge to us was to cost share with the town on a 50-50 basis,” Drozd explained, adding that St. Pierre made it clear that he personally felt the ratepayers of the community thought the addition necessary.
“I said we would have a discussion at our next council meeting, but I asked that he formally tender his request in a letter,” Drozd added.
“One of the problems we have is that we have an agreement with the town for up to $5 million in contributions to construction costs,” Lee said. “We had two plebiscites to our rate-payers on the question of that money. As far as cash goes, I don’t know if we can do what the mayor asks. We’ll look bad if we don’t, but I would suggest that if there is something else we can help with, trucks or equipment, something like that, we would be more than happy to accomodate them.”
Coun. Ron Kleinfeldt agreed with Lee.
“Our agreement does specify only $5 million towards construction costs,” he said.
However, Drozd cautioned that short of a cash contribution, he was not sure what the county’s involvement would look like.
“I agree with the concept of doing work in kind, I’m just having a hard time imagining it,” he said. “The only thing the town could possibly need from us at this time is maybe help in trucking the overburden out. I don’t know of any other services we could offer.”
Drozd suggested using some of the money currently being put into operational reserves for the future pool, but said he was not sure if that was possible either.
“Whether we use operational reserves, or other funding, it doesn’t make a difference,” Lee explained to Drozd and the other councillors. “The wording of our agreement states a maximum of $5 million being provided to the construction of the pool. A max borrowed for a max provided. There is no way around that.”
“Our plebiscite was not legally binding,” County Manager Mark Oberg said, and added under no circumstances would he want to be a councillor standing in front of rate-payers and residents, telling them the county had changed its collective mind.
Coun. Marvin Schatz, representative of Division 2, agreed with the sentiments of the reeve and his fellow councillors.
“I know the residents did say they wanted this work done, but I know as well, how limited we are by the agreement. I wish there was something we could actually do,” he said.
Ultimately county council voted to decline the cost-sharing initiative, but motioned to send a letter to the mayor explaining their position, as well as their commitment to helping in another way if possible, up to and including working with town CAO Martin Taylor.
