In recognition of the challenges facing both groups as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Woodlands County will award two one-time operating "relief” grants of $5,000 to the Anselmo Recreation and Agricultural Society and the Whitecourt Agricultural Society.
While the grants represent the minimum amount both societies could receive under the county’s revised Community Organization Capital and Operating Grants policy, it should be noted that neither organization is technically eligible to receive any funding according to that same policy.
Heather Anderson, community services co-ordinator for the county, said the revised policy was adopted in February of last year prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among other things, it reduced the amount that community groups could be reimbursed for in regards to utilities and eliminated janitorial and administrative costs as eligible for reimbursement.
Anderson said that when the county was processing operating grants for community groups recently, they found that the Anselmo and Whitecourt Ag Societies had a zero-dollar operating balance due to the inability to hold any fundraisers, which in turn made them ineligible for grants.
“COVID really affected our community groups and their ability to generate some revenue," Anderson said.
The Anselmo Ag Society board submitted a letter to Woodlands requesting that implementation of the revised policy be postponed given the current economic situation.
“Our organization was counting on the ongoing support of Woodlands County through these challenging times,” the letter stated.
While their board had yet to meet to discuss the issue, Anderson said the Whitecourt Ag Society had expressed a similar view.
Anderson acknowledged the point that the revised policy did impact local groups, but administration wanted to wait a couple years before any adjustments were made.
As a temporary measure, she recommended that Whitecourt and Anselmo receive $5,000 grants. Anderson explained this would be covered with leftover funding from the budget, as most community groups did very little maintenance work last year and thus did not request as much money.
“This grant would not affect the 2021 budget. However, we do need a motion to give these two groups this extra money,” she said.
Coun. Dave Kusch made the motion to award the grants, noting that the municipality had no idea what 2020 would look like when they changed their policy last year. It was passed unanimously.
