Some organizations have some explaining to do before the Township of Spallumcheen grants their grant wishes.
Council passed seven grant-in-aid requests to be considered for inclusion in the township’s 2018-22 five-year financial plan, though two of the applications have conditions placed on them, and one will have work to do on their own before council considers its request.
North Okanagan Minor Hockey requested a $7,500 grant-in-aid for rink dividers, a device used to separate teams so that two mini-games can be played at the same time. The township said it would like to consider support for minor hockey, but understands there is no storage for the rink dividers.
“That needs to be resolved prior to council considering future support for a grant-in-aid,” said Mayor Janice Brown.
Caravan Farm Theatre and Hullcar and Deep Creek Hall Society each applied for $2,500 grants-in-aid. The theatre must attend a future council meeting and explain to council how the money will be allocated within its planned gazebo project no later than Nov. 30. If satisfied with the presentation, council will include the request in the budget talks.
Hullcar and Deep Creek Hall Society’s request is conditional on the society attending a future meeting and explaining to council where the $9,300 from the 2017 grant-in-aid was spent, and if the 2018 request is for new deficiencies or for concluding original deficiencies.
The township supported a $5,000 request from O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society, though not unanimously during the original discussions at committee of the whole. Coun. Andrew Casson – the township’s representative to the ranch – was opposed. He wanted to give more money.
“I proposed we support O’Keefe with $7,500,” said Casson. “I see this upcoming year, and actually this fall as well, as an important time in the O’Keefe Ranch story. The ranch is working on a business plan that will begin to implement in the near future that I think could move the ranch forward in a big way, and I was hoping to paint the picture clearly enough to get a little more funding from council to support it.”
Casson did support the $5,000 request during council deliberations.
Receiving grant-in-aid support for inclusion in the 2018 budget were Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce (one for $1,000 and one for $700), Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Arts Society ($1,260) and the Great Pumpkin Run and Walk ($500).
Council gave first two readings of its permissive tax exemption bylaw. Caravan Farm Theatre, Grandview Seventh-day Adventist Church, Hullcar and Deep Creek Hall Society, Monastery of the Carmel St. Joseph and O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society have applied for exemptions to the extent of $500,000.