BARRHEAD - The Barrhead Agricultural Society will receive a welcomed financial boost after town councillors approved a request at their July 25 meeting from the not-for-profit asking them to consider sponsoring the demolition derby, which was held June 22, and the upcoming Barrhead Blue Heron Fair Days.
The society asked that council consider sponsoring the events via a July 11 letter from society treasurer Brenda Visser who noted that the municipality has typically donated $5,000 toward staging the annual events.
CAO Edward LeBlanc said although it was true that the town has contributed financially to the ag society for several years, the money was linked to the organization hosting the Wildrose Rodeo Association (WRA) Challenge event.
The Challenge is the WRA's showcase event, featuring the top money or point earners in a four-day competition to put a bow on the association's season.
In November 2022, the WRA announced that the ag society had lost the bid to host the Challenge to Rimbey, ending a long Barrhead tradition. The community had hosted the popular event since 1989, except for in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, and the Ag Society has organized the event for that entire 35-year run.
At the July 11 council meeting, as part of a discussion on whether to grant a request from STARS Air Ambulance for a $7,500 annual contribution to the organization for three years starting in 2023, LeBlanc stated that during their 2023 budget deliberations, council approved $19,300 for grants to organizations, of which $7,500 was earmarked for miscellaneous grants coming from requests outside of already set line items.
As councillors decided to turn down the request, tabling the decision until next year's budget deliberations, he noted that the entire miscellaneous fund is still available.
Coun. Anthony Oswald, who has been the town's representative on the ag society board for the last two years, said he supported granting the request.
"I see how hard that group works firsthand, and they always have the best of the community in mind in everything they do," he said. "They are always thinking of different ways they can bring people into the town, and I think we should continue to donate the $5,000 even though they are no longer putting on the finals."
Osawald suggested council should go one step further and make a five-year commitment.
"That way, they can make plans for the future because they have some things in the fire, and it would help to know the money was there," he said.
Coun. Rod Klumph, who has also served on the ag society board said that as the organization no longer hosts the WRA Challenge, council could consider reducing the annual contribution, but he suggested they don't.
"I consider it money well spent," he said.
Coun. Dausen Kluin also supported the idea of making a multi-year funding commitment, adding if council was hesitant, they could shorten the length, suggesting three years instead.
In the end, councillors unanimously supported a motion by Oswald 6-0 (Coun. Dave Sawatzky was absent) to donate $5,000 to the ag society for this year and refer the discussion of making it a regular budgetary line item to council's 2024 budget deliberations.
