By CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — If your group or organization wants financial help from the Township of Whitewater Region, your request best be in by Nov. 30.
Councillor Cathy Regier was a bit perturbed at the July 22 council meeting, when a request of financial assistance from the Cobden Legion was granted.
Not because council agreed to donate $100, but that it’s not being fair to other groups.
She noted eearlier in the year, council also agreed to a $100 request to the Cobden and Disctirct Civitan Club for its golf tournament.
However, when the Beachburg Lions Club requested a financial donation, the request was iognored, Coun. Regier explained.
“I think I brought this up last time when we did a hole for the Cobden Civitan, and now we are doing the same for the Cobden Legion,” she said. “I just want to make it it known the Beachburg Lions Club sent us a letter back in May for their annual golf tournament and we did nothing.
“I’m kind of thinking here, if we’re going to do it for the Cobden Legion, the Cobden Civitan, that we should be donating $100 in kind to the Beachburg Lions Club as well.”
Mayor Hal Johnson agreed.
Coun. Regier said the letter was included in the correspondence package and was never discussed.
Chief Administrative Officer Christine FitzSimons suggested that some municipalities put an ad in the paper that if anyone is looking for grant funding, they send in their request by the end of November.
Or, the other idea is when council begins to review the budget, a list be put together of who has put in requests, and those are the only ones dealt with, she said.
“These things dribble in throughout the year and some things get missed,” she said. “Maybe as part of budget, we should go back in time…and do a quick recap of who got what throughhout the year and make a list for council to look at.”
She continued, “These are things we need to look into and come up with a plan right now, we deal with them ad hoc, higgly piggly, whatever comes in the mail comes in the mail.”
Mayor Hal Johnson said he recalled this discussion being held earlier and a motion being passed that all requests be in by the end of November.
CAO FitzSimons said that was discussed, but nothing was done about it.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin agreed with CAO FitzSimons. He suggested it be put on a corporate services committee agenda for discussion. But, he also agreed requestes should be in by no later than the end of November.
“Just like Christine said, they come in nilly willy, this one here, this one this month, this one next month.
“Let’s have a look at it.”
And, if council did support one without the supporting the others, although he doesn’t remember the Beachburg Lions Club request, there should be a discussion, he said.
Councillor Charlene Jackson said Renfrew town has a policy regarding grants and perhaps CAO FitzSimons can review it.
Mayor Johnson said he gets many emails asking for money and he advises the budget for this year has been decided on.
“This (request) is a little different,” he admitted.
CAO FizSimons said notifications can be sent out to the groups that have received grants from the township advising if there is a policy change.
She will review Renfrew’s policy to see if it could work for Whitewater Region.
