The issue of donations came up once again around council chambers and many councillors were questioning the purpose of making donations on behalf of the citizens of Estevan.
The City has in the past made donations to various events and organizations, but that practice is being brought under greater scrutiny by many of the active councillors. The newest councillor, Trevor Knibbs, has been opposed to the very philosophy of the City making any kind of donation since he first came to council following a byelection in early 2014. But he isn’t alone with the philosophy that the City shouldn’t be donating tax dollars they’ve collected from ratepayers.
The most recent request that led to the debate was from the Estevan and District Music Festival, which made an annual request for scholarship dollars to support awards for primary piano – adjudicator’s choice, and senior piano – promising performance. Both of the awards were for $100, and following the debate, council voted in favour of the donation for this year.
However, much like council has done in the past for similar requests, council put out notice that the same decision of approval should not be expected in the future.
Mayor Roy Ludwig noted city council has been making an effort to cut back on most of the donations they have been making.
Knibbs summed up his sentiment toward public donations, noting “I don’t feel the City should give money on others’ behalf. It’s not our money.”
Coun. Kevin Smith commented on the role of the City, suggesting council had to define what fell under the business of the City.
“I don’t feel this is the business of the City,” he said. “Having the City of Estevan collecting taxes and putting them toward this goes against the grain.”
Smith said if council so chose, in the future they could perhaps find the funds by making a donation from the per diem councillors receive rather than taking from the City budget.
Coun. Brian Johnson supported the donation to the music festival as something council has supported in the past, while noting donations are part of what the City does. He said any service the City subsidizes could be considered a donation, like any leisure service that doesn’t receive 100 per cent of its expenses returned through user fees. If the City doesn’t receive all of its expenses back during an hour of rented ice, then whatever the City loses is a donation.
Johnson said he didn’t feel supporting the music festival was very different than allowing groups to use City facilities for a fee that didn’t cover all of the expenses.
Coun. Dennis Moore said that if council is going to “skinny down” the budget through action as much as through rhetoric, donations may be the place to start.
While council approved the $200 total donation, councillors made it clear, it’s a habit they intend to break going forward.
