WESTLOCK – Westlock County will contribute an additional $17,211 to Westlock and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) in 2023, its share of $30,000 in “overfunding” to provide new programming for the coming year.
Following a 30-minute presentation from FCSS executive director Tracy Proulx and Town of Westlock CAO Simone Wiley, then a further 15 minutes of debate at their April 25 regular meeting, councillors voted 5-2 (councillors Stuart Fox-Robinson and Isaac Skuban were against) to provide the additional dollars — councillors had initially debated the spend at their March 28 meeting before requesting Proulx appear in person. The town and Village of Clyde councillors had both previously approved their additional spends, with the town ponying up $11,703 and the village kicking in $1,086 — FCSS had previously outlined its new programming at a tri-council meeting, with a motion made there to bring the additional funding requests back to the respective councils for passage.
Westlock FCSS receives 80 per cent of its funding from the province and 20 per cent from the county, town and village, which contribute on a per-capita basis. This year’s FCSS draft budget document, minus the “overcontribution” of $30,000, which is a first for the area’s municipalities and will raise their overall funding to 26 per cent, includes $385,007 from the province, $55,220 from the county, $37,548 from the town and $3,484 from the village.
Debate
County CAO Tony Kulbisky recommended approving the spend, noting the $17,211 is .08 per cent of the municipality’s 2023 operating budget and lauded the organization for the work it does for the county’s “most-vulnerable.”
“For the small amount that they’re asking for overall, the outputs that we get for that investment for our most vulnerable people in our county, I think is pretty magnificent in terms of the work that they do,” said Kulbisky. “I don’t think it’s a huge (amount), but it is your decision to make.”
Fox-Robinson, who had asked for a recorded vote on the funding and said he was “100 per cent against”, took umbrage with the figure and called “$17,000 a big ask” and “would challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to put their cash on the table.”
And while he admitted FCSS “do a lot of good work” he said that after listening to the presentation from Proulx and Wiley and reading through the briefing notes, he wouldn’t support it and highlighted the fact that the overage was a 31.07 per cent increase over what they’re currently spending.
“What I’ve heard is, we want to do more, we don’t have the money and we’re coming to you and asking for the money. I could never support that. It’s absolutely abhorrent, frankly,” said Fox-Robinson, who appeared at the meeting via the Internet. “This is not the way to go about asking. You bring something tangible to the table and I see nothing tangible here whatsoever.”
As noted during Proulx’s presentation, and by reeve Christine Wiese during debate, the additional programming proposed was the result of an in-depth social-needs assessment done previously that highlighted five priorities for the organization, while new for 2023 is expanded home support programming for seniors, additional community outreach via a dedicated staffer, as well as added outreach to county’s hamlets, and a volunteer coordinator.
“I think it was really forward thinking of the FCSS board to go through that exercise because community needs do change over time and if you just continue to do what you are doing, how do you know you’re meeting the needs of residents?” said Wiley of the assessment.
And while Wiese agreed that the $17,000 was “a big ask”, she highlighted the fact that FCSS turned its 2021 surplus back to community groups “and what I heard from my communities is that the money really helped them out.” Last March, FCSS used its 2021 surplus to provide $1,500 each to nine communities, including, Jarvie, Fawcett, Dapp, Clyde, Hazel Bluff, Vimy, Pickardville, Busby, and Linaria, to help offset costs for their post-pandemic community events.
“That money came at a time when they were literally close to closing the doors,” said Wiese.
Coun. Jared Stitsen, who’s one of two county reps on the local FCSS board, supported the additional spend “100 per cent” and called the new programming “important for our community.”
“We’ve gone through the process of having this needs-assessment done … we’ve seen the needs and I think we have to respond to the needs,” said Stitsen, who made the motion to support the additional dollars.
Coun. Sherri Provencal, who also represents the county on the FCSS board and supported the request, said she wants to see the organization do more in the county “and that is kind of why there is an ask.”
“We are trying to enhance our communities and make them richer on so many levels. Yes, the money part does bite, but it does do really good (work) and they’re going out to them and that’s what we want and it’s part of our strategic plan. It’s the right thing,” said Provencal.
The presentation
Proulx gave a brief overview of FCSS, noting it’s been in Westlock for 55 years and was originally housed in the county office.
She said they’re mandated to preventative-focused programming, citing the free income tax program for low-income families and individuals. She also highlighted that past studies show that every dollar “invested” in preventative social services, saves $7 to $10 in “potential intervention services.”
“This year we’re already at over 600 and how that piece is preventative is that allows them to access all of the government subsides that are available. If you don’t do your taxes, you don’t get your child tax credit, the GST rebate, Alberta seniors’ benefits or climate action incentives … all of the things that are available,” she explained. “And potentially, if they aren’t doing their taxes and aren’t accessing those subsidies, they may need to receive income support which becomes intervention.”
During the presentation Fox-Robinson peppered both women with questions and asked: “When you had those meetings, was it simply a case of we’ll just go out and ask for more money?”
“No, basically we've recognized that there are needs in the community that aren’t being met,” Proulx replied.
Wiese then chimed in that FCSS had completed its initial 2023 budget before the surveys were done and that the new services “changed the cost of the budget from last year.”
“After they sent out the surveys is where they saw the bigger need in certain areas and the programs they want to implement is what’s led to this additional cost,” said Wiese.
Fox-Robinson, who asked and was told that FCSS doesn’t carry any reserves, then queried what the organization annually pays in rent, $29,577, and asked where they’re headquartered saying it must be a “very salubrious office space” — FCSS has been at the town-owned Heritage Building since 2021.
“FCSS was in a private rental space before moving to the Heritage Building and their rent actually decreased quite a bit,” said Wiley, noting the figure includes utilities, snow removal and building maintenance, while Proulx said their rent decreased by about $15,000 after the move.
