BARRHEAD - County of Barrhead councillors voted 4-1 to approve a $250 donation to the Naples Community Hall Association under the municipality's community grant policy at their May 21 meeting.
Coun. Bill Lane cast the opposing vote, and Reeve Doug Drozd and Coun. Jared Stoik were absent.
The association had been asking for a donation of $2,500.
The policy, which has been in place since February 2021, allows eligible community organizations meeting specific criteria to receive up to $2,500 in funding that can go towards a project or event that benefits county residents.
However, due to its popularity, only $250 remained in the $15,000 program funding pool for 2024. With the Naples Community Hall Association donation, the grant pool is completely depleted, leaving no funds for other community organizations in need.
County manager Debbie Oyarzun noted that the association estimated the entire project at $6,858, including upgrading the bar door and frame, replacing the stove, and general painting the building's interior.
She added that while the association itself was eligible in that they were a non-profit organization which provided a service beneficial to county residents, much of the project did not and was providing at least 50 per cent of the costs through a combination of its own funds, donations and volunteer hours, much of the work was ineligible.
Under the policy, under Section 5.5, day-to-day operating costs, including staff wages and honorariums, are ineligible.
"The painting and refreshing of the hall are not eligible as they are the day-to-day operating costs," Oyarzun said.
She also noted that under Section 6 of the policy, organizations must apply for the grant 30 days before the funds are needed to ensure time for processing.
"One of the requirements under the policy is that [applicants] can't request retroactive funding," Oyarzun said, adding much of the painting is already complete. "It is very clearly stated in the policy that applicants assume the financial risk as there is no guarantee that the [project will be funded in part] by the county."
If council still wanted to consider the project for the grant, their decision would need to be based on replacing the bar door and stove alone, reducing the cost of the eligible portion to $2,600 and the county's contribution to $1,300.
Oyarzun added councillors could also deem that the association is contributing $1,670 in cash, dropping the county's contribution to $948.
But before doing that, she said, they would need to add more funds to the 2024 community grant budget.
The other option, she said, which she recommended, was to approve the application with the monies available in the fund.
"Nothing would have to be added to the budget today, but council may want to discuss future increases, as we are only about halfway through the year," she said.
Oyarzun said the final option was for council to deny the request, as much of the association's project has already been completed.
Coun. Bill Lane said his preference was to approve the eligible portion of the project and increase the 2024 community grant budget.
"I always thought $15,000 was low, especially considering the number of community clubs out there asking for [the maximum] of $2,500," he said. "[Naples Community Hall], like our other community halls, are working hard to stay open and viable but are fighting high expenses. I hope we can increase that in the future."
Coun. Ron Kleinfeldt noted he was OK with approving the association's application, saying his preference would be the $948. He added that regardless of whether they approved the application, it was evident that they needed to have a more extensive discussion about increasing the program's budget.
"[The community policy grant program] is becoming more well known, and we are now seeing repeat applications," he said. "To be fair to everyone, we should discuss increasing its budget."
Oyarzun cautioned councillors against lumping the discussion of approving this application with the deeper, more extensive discussion of whether the policy's budget should be increased.
"Decide on this particular application, and if it meets your expectations under the community grant policy. Determine that; then you can have that more robust conversation," she said, suggesting council committee of the whole meeting in mid-June.
Lane disagreed, saying they needed to have the discussion earlier.
"We need to look at this and get more money in the pot," he said. "Everyone knows the financial burden [these groups are in], food, gas, everything just keeps going up. These small halls have been struggling for years and have been surviving on casino grants. They are our ratepayers, and they need help."
Deputy reeve Marvin Schatz countered that the community grant policy states that the funding pot is a specific size, once it is gone, it is gone.
"We can go back and discuss whether we want to increase the amount," he said. "But, the question is, do we keep increasing it? What happens the next time somebody comes along after the fund is depleted? Do we keep increasing it?"
Coun. Walter Preugschas suggested that they could table the decision on whether to approve the Naples Community Hall Association application until council has that discussion on increasing the community grant funding pool.
Oyarzun advised against tabling it.
"You can't dismiss all the clauses in the current policy for one application," she said. "It is not good practice. Then what is the point of having the policy?"
Kleinfeldt ended the discussion by calling the question, moving to accept administration's recommendation.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
