All third-party groups that asked for funding in 2021 will receive the same funding they received this year since city council is uncertain how the pandemic will affect next year’s budget.
During the Dec. 21 budget deliberation meeting, council voted 6-1 to approve funding for all third parties using 2020 amounts.
Coun. Kim Robinson was opposed.
Council also voted 6-1 to approve Wakamow Valley Authority’s (WVA) operating and capital budgets for next year using 2020 amounts of $329,612 and $30,770, respectively.
Coun. Heather Eby was opposed.
Third-party funding
The following groups will receive funding next year using 2020 funding levels:
- STARS Air Ambulance: $0
- Moose Jaw and District Seniors Association: $35,000
- Cosmo Senior Citizens Association: $15,000
- Tourism Moose Jaw/Canada Day committee: $90,775 and $2,7534, respectively
- Saskatchewan Festival of Words: $7,867
- Murals of Moose Jaw: $13,300
- Moose Jaw Cultural Centre: $156,979
- Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery: $134,296
- Saskatchewan Burrowing Owls: $6,428
- Airport authority: $30,000
- Humane society: $229,029
- Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards: $10,000
Council discussion
“I think that we should be cautious. I also believe that that funding is sufficient to get us through 2021,” said Coun. Dawn Luhning. “If something drastic happens or things get better, 2022 is not very far away.”
The agreement with WVA is the only one where the municipality matches what the authority puts up, Coun. Crystal Froese said. She believed that the WVA should have to propose projects before budget instead of submitting funding proposals afterward.
While the organization has several ongoing projects — including upgrading the campground, which is a source of revenue for it — she wanted to see the arrangement changed, so it wasn’t a guarantee that council provided a matching grant.
“… We are in a bit of a different time,” Froese added. “I’m just looking to have people share in the burden we’re carrying here.”
The matching capital grant is great for the community since there is a never-ending list of items that need to be upgraded there, said Eby. She opposed reducing the WVA’s operating budget since the valley — including parks, bathrooms and other amenities — was one place during the pandemic that saw increased use.
To remove $5,600 from the authority’s budget is probably significant for that organization, even if it’s not much in the city’s budget, she added. Council and residents still expect the WVA to keep trees trimmed and garbage picked up.
Council is not looking to reduce the Wakamow Valley Authority’s budget, but instead, it’s freezing how much the organization receives at 2020 levels, said Luhning. She agreed that the matching-grant process should remain the same.
“Wakamow definitely has seen a huge uptake in park usage. My only issue is they should propose a project, so we know what the money is going towards. Maybe they need more (or) maybe they need less,” said Froese. “But it should be project-specific and not just something that we rubber-stamp every year. Maybe it’s part of a fundraising campaign that we can participate alongside them with the citizens too.”
The next regular city council meeting is Monday, Jan. 11.
