LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche County taxpayers are being asked to pay about $10 a year more in taxes to help fund future seniors' home upgrades that could be needed within and beyond Lac La Biche County borders.
The funding request came to Lac La Biche County officials at their April 4 regular council meeting from the Greater North Foundation. The funds would create a new reserve fund for future capital costs at seniors' homes across northeastern Alberta that are managed by the regional group — including three properties within Lac La Biche County — needs more review, say councillors.
In total, about $128,000 in funding is being requested from Lac La Biche County ratepayers going forward on an annual basis. Lac La Biche County is one of 14 communities that historically provide a share of funding to the foundation that oversees seniors' housing, subsidized family housing and rental assistance program across northern Alberta. The funding would be collected in the form of a tax requisition from all ratepayers of the municipality.
The funding would mean, on average, an additional 10 to 12 dollars a year for every municipal ratepayer, say municipal financial officials.
The $128,000 ask to the County is part of an overall request by the foundation for $258,000 to all 14 of its community partners — meaning the County is paying half the total funding requested from all the partners within the organization.
While one councillor at last Tuesday's council meeting made it clear the funding request was a small price to pay for the well-being of seniors, others questioned the overall funding model of the foundation.
"I think that before we go into approving another requisition, it might be prudent for this council to have a wholesome review of what the Greater North requisition is, and what it provides," said councillor Lorin Tkachuk, explaining that he fully supports assistance to seniors, but wants to make sure that local seniors are benefiting from the county's lion's share portion.
Before he could explain further, however, councillor Darlene Beniuk, who sits as a municipal representative on the Greater North Foundation's board, said his suggestion was "cruel" and "disgusting."
Calling into the meeting remotely from a conference she was attending outside the community, Beniuk argued the councillor's request.
"You say, 'Are we getting your money's worth?'... You're saying that a 10 or 11 dollars-a-year increase on the Greater North Foundation taxes is a factor? I can't believe that someone would think about such a thing, let alone let it slip out of their mouth. I 'm upset about that. I think it's pretty cruel that the seniors and the people in care are not worth 10 or 11 dollars a year. That's disgusting," she said, speaking over and through a few interruptions by other councillors.
When Tkachuk spoke again he said Beniuk had completely misrepresented his initial comment..
"I'd better address another councillor putting words in my mouth — By no means am I saying it's not OK to put money towards seniors. I'm saying if we are putting money towards seniors, it needs to be going towards our seniors.... I don't want to be paying the lion's share of a kitty that 's going out to other communities.... We have a big need for our seniors in our community first."
Tkachuk went a step further.
"The reason for doing a review of our participation in the Greater North Foundation, in my opinion, is that I think we could probably do a better job for our own seniors than the Greater North is doing for us currently ... I had wanted to say that in fewer words," he admitted, addressing Beniuk directly, "but if you are going to put words into my mouth — I'll explain it better for you."
Councillor Beniuk signed out of the meeting before Tkachuk's request was voted on. The councillors who remained voted unanimously to approve a full review the municipality's role in the Greater North Foundation. A request will be sent to the foundation's executive board to meet with council for further details and information sharing as part of that review. Further discussion on that review and the foundation's funding request was re-scheduled to the April 25 Lac La Biche County council meeting.
Local taxes already include a Greater North Foundation requisition that goes towards operating costs of facilities across the region. The recent funding request would be for additional funds for future capital needs. Those capital funds were part of the foundation's tax requisition.
The Greater North Foundation – previously known as the Athabasca County Foundation – was first established in 1984 and then as a management body in 1996. The foundation owns and operates Lacalta Lodge in Lac La Biche, Wildrose Villa in Boyle and the new Pleasant Valley Lodge. The Pleasant Valley Lodge was opened in 2011. At the opening ceremonies it was said that Lac La Biche County taxpayers contributed 54 per cent to the operating costs and the capital costs for the foundation.
