55 Plus Games granted funds

Times Reporter     

 

Donalda Ledene, chair of Strathmore’s Alberta 55 Plus Summer Games committee, approached town council with a few requests, and an update, at the May 7 council meeting. The games will be held in July of 2015, and from now until then there is a lot of work to be done to ensure the four-day event will be a success. 

The overall budget is approximately $1 million, which means the committee will be busy fundraising and applying for grants over the next year.

“Alberta Sport are supporting us with a grant of $160,000, and an additional $25,000 for the cultural aspect, and if we provide a positive financial statement at the end there will be an additional $25,000 (to go in a legacy account),” said Ledene.  

It is the committee’s goal not to have a deficit either way, and they want very much to be able to find sponsorships and financial support to the event. Anything left over will be a legacy to the community and the committee hopes they can provide the town with not just an event, but also with funds.

Overall the committee was requesting support from council for approximately $205,000. 

The list of requests was: to not have to repay the initial loan of $10,000; $12,500 needed for shuffleboard equipment; facility donation of the Family Centre, Aquatic Centre and Civic Centre at $40,000; facility donation for three fundraisers at $5,000; use of the town’s Heritage Days booth for $1,000; games staff wages, for a games manager over a period of 18 months and office admin for a period of 12 months totaling $120,000; bocce court development at the Lambert Centre for $10,000 and Tracy Simpson’s time commitment for approximately $7,000. 

“One of our major expenses is hiring staff and so we would ask that you provide the salaries for two staff which would be approximately $120,000 for an 18 month contract and a 12 month contract,” said Ledene. 

If council were to fund the staff, then the town would likely have to draw the funds from the financial stabilization reserve. Councillor Bob Sobol said he is very supportive of the games. He is director of sustainability and has enjoyed being on the committee, and he believes in the fundraising capabilities of those on the committee, but as a councillor he had concerns about the possibility of an excess of funds being raised.  

“If they overraise funds then that money does not come back to the town, it can go back to the town, but it can’t go back into the coffers, so I am just a little cautious that if there’s a very successful fundraising activity that takes place that they may not need this $120,000,” said Sobol. 

His proposal was that the amount for staff funding not be approved at this time until the committee can begin fundraising and they can get an idea about how that is going. 

Ledene said the committee doesn’t have money in the bank for a payroll each month at this time, but that they do have to hire staff that can focus on the event 24/7. Everyone else is a volunteer and only has so much time they can commit each week. Ledene said the committee doesn’t know right now where their fundraising will go; they have great aspirations but it’s tough to forecast before they get started. 

It was suggested that, for now, salaries could be paid out of some of the funds granted through Alberta Sport, while the committee gets the first of its fundraising underway.

Sobol reiterated that he is fully supportive, but his concern is that once the money leaves the financial stabilization reserve it can’t go back to there. He did also mention he would be happy to see Ledene back in council in a few months’ time to review the wage request. 

Sobol made a motion for the town to support the other listed items, totaling $85,000 at this time. The motion was carried.