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MD of Bonnyville debates future of policy that provides money to victims of fire

After concerns were voiced by a councillor, a decision as to whether an MD of Bonnyville policy - Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire - should be discontinued in 2023 was table until the first council meeting of the new year.
Glendon-garage fire
Fire crews from Glendon and Bonnyville battled a blaze that broke out in an attached garage in the Village of Glendon during the early hours of June 17, 2022.

BONNYVILLE – The tension was palpable among some MD of Bonnyville council members that were trying to decide whether or not they should rescind the municipality’s Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy on Nov. 23. 

“I am just so opposed to this it's not even funny,” said Coun. Darcy Skarsen, adding that he did not understand why discontinuing the policy was up for consideration. 

CAO Al Hoggan noted that the decision to remove the policy was based on a direction given by council during a pre-budget workshop in October. Hoggan referred to a comment made by Reeve Barry Kalinski who stated it was time for the policy to go. 

The policy to assist victims of fire in the MD “is a municipal grant program that allows the 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,” states municipal documents. 

Skarsen shared with council, “I’ve handed out this cheque a couple times and it sure puts a smile on the face of people who lost homes... It sure helps them out in the interim. To me it's a small price to pay –unless we are looking for money to cover our capital [expenses] – I don’t know why we would do this.” 

Last year, six cheques were given out under the financial assistance policy for a total of $15,000, according to MD administration. 

Coun. Mike Krywiak noted that he agreed with Skarsen and was not in favour of the policy being discontinued. 

“This direction was received from council at the pre-budget workshop. We have also passed in the budget a methodology by which we will be sending out invoicing for fires,” said Hoggan, reiterating why the item was brought before council. 

The CAO noted a new policy that would see residents invoiced for the use of fire service apparatuses will be brought before council in December or early January. 

“We are handing out $2,500 cheques to people when they’ve had a fire and now council also agreed to try and recoup those costs by sending out invoicing, the two are mutually exclusive ideas,” said Hoggan. “It would seem odd to me that we would send a cheque to somebody and send them a bill afterwards.” 

As council discussed the merit of the policy, the CAO noted that the continuation of the fire assistance policy was not factored into the 2023 budget that was passed by council earlier that same day.  

In the end, council voted in favour of tabling the motion of whether to rescind the Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy to the Jan. 10, 2023, regular meeting of council. 

Councillors not in favour of tabling the discussion included Skarsen, Deputy Reeve Ben Fadeyiw and Coun. Don Slipchuk. 

Council members that agreed to table the motion were Reeve Barry Kalinski, and councillors Krywiak, Dana Swigart and Josh Crick. 

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