Four municipalities are considering pooling their funds and creating one committee to dole out money to community groups in need of cash.
The Intermunicipal Joint Steering Committee recommends creating a task force consisting of a councillor each from the Village of Longview, MD of Foothills and Towns of Black Diamond and Turner Valley to determine the need for a joint community fund committee.
“I want to know for sure who is funding what and what do those funds look like,” said Turner Valley Mayor Kelly Tuck, who is on the steering committee. “Wouldn’t it be nice if it was a one-stop funding for the MD, Black Diamond, Turner Valley and Longview?”
Tuck said the steering committee came up with the idea last month after discussing funding inequalities in the region. The committee consists of representatives from the four municipalities who work to create consistencies in such areas as bylaws and policies.
Tuck said she is concerned with the way some activities are being funded in the region. For instance, youngsters from across the region attend the Royal Canadian Legion Turner Valley Branch’s annual children’s Christmas party, yet it’s only funded by Turner Valley, she said.
Tuck told council the communities could benefit from having a collaborative funding committee.
“I think it’s a really good idea,” she said. “If it comes from all four of us, (the groups requesting funding) know there is only one table they are coming to.”
Tuck said the Town of Turner Valley allocates $6,000 annually for groups requesting funding for local projects and activities.
“I know it’s not a lot of money, but we need to be accountable for ratepayers’ money,” she said. “At the same time our social programs are a huge asset to our community.”
The committee’s recommendation to form a task force was supported by Black Diamond and Turner Valley councils at their regular meetings last week and is awaiting decisions from the Village of Longview and MD of Foothills at their upcoming council meetings.
Turner Valley coun. Dona Fluter told council she supports the idea of setting up a task force to investigate the possibility of a joint community fund committee, adding there needs to be a better format to apply for funding assistance that benefits and enhances community programs.
During the discussion at Black Diamond’s regular council meeting on Jan. 7, coun. Mike Ross said a collaborative funding committee is a great idea.
“The whole concept is to benefit everybody by pooling our resources rather than butting heads,” he said. “It also promotes regional interaction.”
Coun. Jackie Stickel, a member of the intermunicipal steering committee, said concerns were expressed during last month’s discussion about groups “double dipping” or requesting funds from more than one community.
“How do we know all of the community groups are being treated fairly?” she said.
According to Verna Staples, the Town’s legislative services manager, Black Diamond council budgeted $8,000 for groups requesting funds for community events and projects in 2014, yet it approved a $3,400 increase later in the year to allow for additional donations as requested.
If the taskforce is established, Joanne Irwin, Black Diamond’s chief administrative officer, said it will have to discuss the pros and cons for having such a committee and how it would operate.
“They have to decide what the group is going to look like, what they will do, how they will do it and what to do if there is dissention,” she told council. “The task force would put forth recommendations and then you would either consider looking at it or not. This is a task force that needs to be investigated.”
