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Society asks for repairs help

Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery asks city council for financial support
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External repairs to the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Art Gallery totallying nearly $3,800 will be costly for the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Arts Society, which has asked city council for financial help. (Roger Knox/Morning Star)

One Armstrong councillor thinks the city may be setting a dangerous precedent by helping a local organization with a repair bill.

Paul Britton was referring to a request from the Armstrong Spallumcheen Museum and Arts Society for financial support for costs associated with external repairs to its building.

The costs to fix a copper water main in the parking lot as well as roof repairs and installation of a snow stop are estimated at $3,792.50.

The museum has asked for a late grant in aid application, and, because the city owns the building, help from city staff in applying for a grant to help with costs.

“I’d hate to see us set a precedent that people can submit a bill afterward and beg us to pay for it,” said Britton.

Mayor Chris Pieper and chief administrative officer Melinda Stickney met with museum representatives earlier this month.

“We made that fairly clear,” said Pieper of Britton’s suggestion. “We’ve asked them to do a report to us, like we have to do for our infrastructure, and see if there’s anything hiding in the rafters.”

Said Coun. Gary Froats, chairperson of the city’s finance committee: “The society, I think, performs a fairly important function in the community.”

With that, Froats made two motions; to accept the museum’s late grant in aid application so that all requests for financial support be considered under the program, and that council authorize staff to work with the museum on a New Horizons program grant application.

Both motions were unanimously supported.



Roger Knox

About the Author: Roger Knox

I am a journalist with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. I started my career in radio and have spent the last 21 years working with Black Press Media.
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