Representatives of East Wellington Community Services (EWCS), the charitable organization that runs the food bank in Erin, say the town owes them $18,092 for hydro bills from 2012 to 2018.
According to CEO Kari Simpson and board president Laurie Davis, in 2013 EWCS entered into an agreement with the town on the cost of hydro.
Both sides agreed to place hydro monitors in the food bank to more accurately assess the use of hydro in the 500-square-foot section of Centre 2000 in the village of Erin.
In turn, the organization agreed to pay $350 per month plus HST – but also that the town would adjust the cost based on the monitors. If the actual consumption was less, Simpson and Davis said it was agreed that EWCS would be reimbursed for over-payments.
From 2014 to 2017 EWCS did not receive hydro monitor results according to Simpson and Davis.
EWCS just received the monitoring data from town staff this January.
Emotions ran high during the Aug. 14 council meeting, when staff made it clear nothing could be done immediately.
Mayor Allan Alls gave notice that he will present a motion on Sept. 4 requesting a staff report. The report would not come back to council for consideration until October.
For EWCS officials, who say they brought the issue to the attention of town staff more than a year ago, it raised the question whether council would follow through with the agreement. “All those hydro costs and over-charges are directly coming from the town,” said Simpson. “I don’t see why there should be any questions right now as to the legitimacy of this.”
Councillor Sammut lent his support for the reimbursement saying, “They are dealing with vulnerable people in our community, they need support. We are not talking millions of dollars here.”
The EWCS representatives also wanted to discuss the rental agreement for the food bank building and a possible increase in grants for the Adult Day Program, which operates at a different site.
However, discussing the two operations seemed to cause confusion during the delegation.
Ultimately Mayor Allan Alls assured Simpson and Davis that a motion would be put forward.
“This should not happen. I am just so disappointed that we can’t just get to it,” said Davis.
