What are the criteria used to determine which organizations or groups will benefit from the charity of municipalities?
It is a question we have been asking ourselves more and more often, as we fill our pages with stories of volunteer organizations losing members, long-standing organizations such as the Legion considers limiting its hours of operation due to declining membership, programs that are important to the welfare of the community running the risk of folding due to the lack of funding, et cetera.
While we understand money is at a premium we believe the county’s decision to deny funding to Barrhead and District’s Family Community Support Services’ Thrive program is the wrong one.
One of the reasons councillors voted against it was their desire to have statistics or ‘measurables’ to base their decisions on and sometimes these are difficult to define, especially in the case of Thrive.
Indeed, on the one hand, we agree that giving funds to one organization or another will surely open the door for others to approach, but at the same time, we wonder what truly constitutes worth, verses waste.
Consider the Athabasca River Brigade’s trip in celebration of Canada’s 150th and the County of Barrhead councillors decision to allocate money towards a primarily Woodlands County-led initiative.
The event was not held in Barrhead, yet councillors served lunch and handed out pins, promoting the county.
Consider too, as you will read on Page 6A, the county’s decision to donate $500 to the Alberta Trappers’ Association ‘Old Traditions – New Beginnings, Rendezvous and Outdoorsman Show’ being held at the Rotary Spirit Centre in Westlock in July.
As we understand it, the decision was based on the lesser amount being ‘cheaper’ than the $15,000 that the Rotary Club had asked them to contribute to Thrive in partnership with themselves and the Town of Barrhead.
We all know times are lean but the economy is rebounding, the county has a balanced budget and have had to consider requests to amend portions of said budget.
However, donating or contributing to events held outside our own municipality while a program we believe helps people in our own community dealing with family-related violence, is something that gives us pause.
Perhaps there is enough money left in the FCSS’ coffers to limp the program along and perhaps the contributions from the Rotary Club, the town and, if the Elks contribution goes towards it as Coun. Bill Lane alluded, will make a difference.
But what happens if, because the partnership was contingent on all three parties contributing, the Rotary Club decides to back out of the deal?
Yes, it is not the county’s job to govern or cater to the demands of every single service club but it is our opinion that the $500 going to the Trappers Association-hosted event could have been spent better.
