Westlock County is not paying its fair share for recreation services in town, according to information presented at the May 10 county council meeting.
Westlock town Coun. Sheila Foley made a presentation to the county laying out the numbers from the 2010 operating costs for recreation services in town, which showed the county pays just over 10 per cent of the $2 million operating costs.
“County use of those facilities is in many cases greater than or equal to town use,” she said.
For example, use of the aquatic centre is estimated as being about 60 per cent county residents and 40 per cent town residents. As such, she requested the county consider increasing its operating funding for town recreation facilities to 50 per cent of the operating costs, which for 2010 totaled about $2 million. The county currently only provides about $227,000, according to an information package Foley provided.
Several other town councillors, as well as Mayor Bruce Lennon, CAO Darrell Garceau and Recreation Services Director Danielle Snyder attended the meeting.
Foley also asked that the county reconsider its position of not funding any of the capital costs of the new Spirit Centre project, which has had a $3 million cost overrun to an estimated total of more than $15 million.
“County residents will most likely utilize the excellent facilities at the Spirit Centre, as well,” Foley said, emphasizing the need to work together in the absence of funding from big industries in the area. “We just have each other.”
She emphasized, however, that regardless of funding everyone would be welcome in the facility, and that the project would definitely go ahead with or without the county’s help.
“The Town of Westlock will see it through, and it will be a beautiful facility,” she said.
County council made no decision on the request, but the matter will come up for discussion at their next meeting.
“We will take it as information, and see where we go from there,” reeve Charles Navratil said.
Once the delegation left, council discussed the funding request.
Navratil acknowledged that county residents use the facilities, saying “that was never in dispute.”
Coun. Bert Seatter suggested administration do some research and examine the county’s existing recreation budget.
As for helping to fund the Spirit Centre, however, councillors were not warm to the idea, relying on the input they got from residents at the May 3 county annual general meeting.
“You were at the same meeting I was,” Coun. Conrad Sehn said. “They said don’t get involved in the Spirit Centre.”
The meeting with the delegation highlighted the ongoing friction between the two municipalities.
Prior to Foley’s 1:30 p.m. appointment, county councillors debated whether or not to even allow the delegation since they had not followed the county’s protocol to provide background information prior to the meeting — the delegation did not provide it.
“It burns me a bit that the rules and regulations are there for everybody but the town,” Coun. Mike Cook said. “It’s the same old thing. It goes on and on and on.”
Navratil echoed Cook’s sentiments.
“Anybody that comes to council with anything has to give it ahead of time. We open a whole other can of worms if we let this happen,” he said. “I think we have to let it happen.”
At the beginning of the council meeting, concillors agreed to allow the delegation to make the presentation despite the breach of protocol, with only Sehn vocally opposed.
