KENILWORTH – Wellington North council approved $82,635 in donations and fee waivers to local community groups and organizations at its April 22 meeting, but some council members say spending needs to be reined in.
Councillor Sherry Burke noted the township benefits from local community groups, but said spending through its grants and donations program is “a little bit out of hand.”
This year’s approval is approaching a doubling of the township’s annual average, based on seven years of data, and is 3.5 per cent higher than the $79,820 approved in 2023.
In previous years, council has supported a $40,000 budget while approving a yearly average of $44,958 in taxpayer’s dollars for local organizations since the township began funding a grants and donations program in 2017.
“I know we tried to be very generous right after the COVID pandemic to help get groups and organizations back on their feet, but every year the total cost and the total requests that we’re being asked to grant to these groups and organizations continues to increase,” Burke said.
The township receives an average of 36 applications each year, with a peak of 42 in 2019.
For 2024, the township received 41 requests by the March deadline totalling $107,687.
After assessing the requests, staff put forward options for a total of $97,763 in spending from various budget sources for council’s consideration.
At that rate, donations account for an increase of around one per cent to the township’s tax levy, Burke said.
The first batch of tax dollars approved by council last month for community and non-profit groups – $46,275 in donations and $15,360 in waivers – had the support of most of council.
“Based on the conversation here, I think I stand alone,” said Burke, who was the sole dissenting vote against approving all of staff’s spending recommendations.
Six additional applications — totalling $36,128 — were put forward by staff seeking council’s direction.
Councillors discussed their individual bugbears, but there were resounding concerns with the township donating tax dollars toward school playgrounds, as well as $6,764 toward for-profit Green Wave Soccer for field rentals and losing out on $1,370 in rental fees related to a community-wide yard sale.
Councillor Penny Renken put forward a motion to deny the fee waiver, which carried in 4-1 vote with councillor Lisa Hern opposed.
The idea behind the request was to alleviate the cost of using the township’s community centres for those without yards to sell their wares on May 18.
Council supported $20,000 in funding for playground equipment at Arthur Public School and St. John’s Catholic School — deferred to the 2025 budget — as well as $1,000 for the Mount Forest Air Cadets to assist with advertising for recruitment.
Council did not provide staff with direction for two additional applications, for Green Wave Soccer Mount Forest and Arthur Minor Hockey Association, amounting to $8,258 — so that amount is not included in the final approved budget.
The total council-approved spend totals $82,635, including the $20,000 portion being deferred to the 2025 budget for playground equipment.
“This program has kind of grown organically to something larger than we maybe intended,” Mayor Andy Lennox said, adding, “we can’t support everything.”
Also approved by council at the meeting was a review of the program itself in 2025, which could see fewer applications approved in the future and tighter spending.
“I look forward to the review of this program,” Burke remarked.
Spending each year for the first five years of program was below the $40,000 budgeted by council, according to township figures.
Starting in 2022, funding for the Mapleton-based Seniors’ Centre for Excellence and school playgrounds pushed spending over budget.
Community and economic development manager Mandy Jones stated in an email that staff noticed “a heightened increase in community interest” in the program.
Staff pushed for another look to “ensure the program accurately reflects the community’s needs, and effectively utilizes available resources.”
The program focuses primarily on grants and waiving fees for applications, but Jones wrote the township is looking to better define guidelines and set maximum funding limits.
A staff report to council detailing the review and proposed program changes is expected this summer.
