CPC Budget Hike Balk

By 250 News

No budget hike for the Community Planning Council, at least not yet.

The Community Planning Council asked to have its annual budget tripled from $35 thousand a year to $108 thousand.

Having started out in 1995 with a $35 thousand dollar grant from the City, the Planning Council now wants that budget boosted to $108 thousand a year for three years. Initially, the CPC had not only the grant from the City, but a $25,000 grant from the Ministry of Children and Families. That funding has since been pulled as the Ministry dried up all funding that was not directly related to client services.

The Planning Council says that just as Initiatives Prince George serves as the economic development arm of the City, the Community Planning Council serves as the social development arm. The CPC also reminded Council it has helped land plenty of federal dollars for Prince George programs and services, like $2.6 million under the Federal Homeless Initiative.

Administration for the City recognizes there are still many social issues and challenges which will need to be addressed, including:
-the homeless,
-HIV/AIDS,
-youth prostitution,
-aging population and
-battling drug use, in particular, the onset of crystalmeth.

Administration recommended the City enter into a three year arrangement with the CPC, and increase the annual budget to $108 thousand dollars. If there are savings to be found, the annual budget could be reduced. The full budget will allow the CPC to continue with its operating costs in addition to the fee for service arrangement. While there are possibilities for funding from some other areas, those amounts would not have an impact on the City's contribution.

Councilor Sethen wanted to know if the funding will now create a bias for the CPC, "They used to be their own master" Sethen said, "How will knowing they are funded by the City impact on their reports?" Leisure Services Tom Madden says "personally I don't see it as a challenge, they may say otherwise, but they certainly haven't indicated that. " Sethen then turned to the CPC members in the gallery and said, "I would hope that you would tell it like it is, and if its bad news, just give it to us, and not a report you think we want to hear." Councilor Brian Skakun says this funding should relieve the CPC from having to spend its time chasing down grants for funding.

Council had already approved a $35 thousand dollar budget and that money is already gone. The balance of the year would then require $73,000.
The money would come from the City Wide contingency fund which is currently at $250,000, dropping that emergency fund to $177,000.

Councilor Bassermann says before Council accepts entering a three year deal there needs to be more work.
He wants:
-a review of services to date,
-models for delivery ( fee for service) he says a base of $35 thousand and fee for service after that
-then municipal priorities should be set, "I appreciate the work of the Community Planning Council, and if the grant that was sought ($600,000 for a National Crime Preventions Initiatives program) had been approved, we wouldn't be sitting here having this discussion. If we don't do the extra work I have outlined, I don't
think I could support entering a three year agreement."
His concerns were echoed by Councilors Zurowski and Krause.

Mayor Kinsley says the money is coming from the contingency fund this year, but where does the full $108 thousand come from next year? "I think after a very strenuous and soul searching budget process , and remember we had a lot of initiatives that were worthwhile, I just think we need to look at it somewhat longer and see what other kind of partnerships are out there." The Mayor says heis also not prepared to make a committment for three years. "I am not comfortable with senior government collecting all those taxes and putting the responsibilities back on local government. I think if we have this working session we can find a way of dealing with this."

Councillor Shirley Gratton wanted to wait until there was word on the $600,000 grant, that decision is expected in July.

So with a new motion, calling for more work to develop different service delivery and funding models. No support for that one from Councillor Brian Skakun "Administration says give them the money and I am going to go with that."

The two were out voted by their Council colleagues who then agreed to give the CPC three months operating costs. Councilor Scott opposed that move.

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