BONNYVILLE – The discussion around whether the MD of Bonnyville should keep or rescind the Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy, has once again been left unresolved.
The policy is a municipal grant program that was adopted in 2011 and allows the MD’s CAO to authorize a one-time bursary in the amount of $2,500 to victims of fire that meet the criteria outlined within the policy.
In October, direction was given by council to discontinue the bursary program during a Council Workshop for the 2023 budget, according to information provided by administration.
The policy was first brought before council to be rescinded on Nov. 23, 2022, during a regular meeting of council. At that time, council tabled the decision to rescind the policy until Jan. 10.
At the Jan. 10 council meeting, a written request was made by an absent council member to postpone the decision until the following council meeting, which was Jan. 24.
RELATED STORY: Councillor absence causes delay to fire policy decisions
During council’s last regular meeting, a decision could still not be reached and a motion to rescind the Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy was defeated.
CAO Al Hoggan requested that if council were to keep the policy and bursary program that it be brought back to a committee of the whole meeting to discuss possible amendments to the policy.
“There are some problems inside the current policy that I'd like to clear up. If council wants to keep the policy that's fine, but there are some things we need to clear up to make some clarity for administration,” Hoggan told council, citing contradictory sections of the current policy.
Spending tax dollars
During the discussion, the value and cost of the victims of fire policy and others were referenced by council members.
“I've never been in favour of rescinding this policy,” stated Coun. Darcy Skarsen, echoing his previous statements in council chambers. “As one of the councillors who has given out cheques, I mean for the amount that this is in the budget, it just doesn't make sense to me to rescind it... It's something that brings a lot of joy to people that are in a big hardship."
Coun. Mike Krywiak, shared those feelings, adding, “Last year, I think we gave six of these for $15,000. It's not very much money. So, I am not in favour of rescinding this policy either.”
Coun. Don Slipchuk, who expressed support for rescinding the victims of fire program, said that following the changes to the municipality's Fire Suppression and Cost Recovery Policy he felt that keeping the grant program would be counterintuitive.
“I can't see how we're going to charge for fires and then on the other hand we give a check for $2,500... It doesn’t make sense to me,” Slipchuk said.
Coun. Ben Fadeyiw noted that most residents are provided general emergency assistance through home insurance policies in case of a fire. Fadeyiw said he doesn’t think it is fair to give $2,500 of taxpayer dollars to a resident that may or may not have insurance.
Sharing a similar view, Coun. Josh Crick added, “I feel bad for anybody who has a fire and I think that as far as the policy goes, it isn't really our place to be taking tax dollars and giving them to somebody else... I'm kind of leaning towards removing the policy.”
In response, Skarsen stated, “I don't think we ask why the fire happened in order to cut a cheque for these guys. We make decisions every single week that give money to someone for some reason that a lot of people are opposed to... I can think of a lot of things that taxpayers aren't interested in funding, but we still do every day.”
As the discussion wrapped up, Reeve Barry Kalinski added that money that would be allocated to the bursary program “is a pretty small potato compared to a lot of things that [council] approves.”
Fadeyiw made motion to rescind the Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy, that was defeated in order for the policy to be brought to a committee of the whole meeting to discuss possible amendments.
