On the table were seven requests for community grants plus six applications for spring grants in aid. In a report to council, Karen Blow, the municipality's chief financial officer (CFO), had clarified that grant requests exceeded the budget of $140,968 by $47,000, assuming that $6000 would be set aside for the fall grants in aid and $4,400 would support Snug Cove House (formerly Abbeyfield) development fees. Blow had prepared a list of recommendations that took granting history and indications of council into account. The discussion started at the May 28 council meeting. On June 4, council continued to weigh the merits of the applications against budget constraints.
First up was the application of the Bowen Island Arts Council for a core grant of $58,000 to be used to "facilitate a myriad of services and programs," according to the application. The requested amount made up just over a third of the arts council's annual budget of $170,000. Councillor Alison Morse made the motion to award the arts council the sum of $55,000 that Blow had included in her list of recommendations.
Councillor Tim Rhodes suggested reducing the amount to $47,000, the 2010 level but Morse explained that even in 2010, the arts council was awarded the base grant of $47,000 plus a $7,000 grant in aid at a total of $54,000. All councillors except Rhodes voted in favour of awarding $55,000 to the Bowen Island Arts Council.
The Bowen Island Historians had applied for a grant of $54,600 (plus a $2,000 grant in aid) to support a part-time archivist and a full-time curator. Rhodes said that he sees this as an effort worth supporting. Mayor Jack Adelaar said, "[The historians] started off as a society that did archival work on Bowen. It was always done by volunteers without the municipality's assistance. Now the archivist has left and they've asked the municipality to step in for a paid position instead of a volunteer." Adelaar cautioned that the position would entirely depend on municipal funding. "What if the budget is even lower next year? Our costs are increasing and we have to take the money we need for the welfare of the island like water, sewer and roads into account." Councillor Cro Lucas said that one thing has been clearly communicated from members of the public and that was that they didn't want to see an increase in taxation. "They don't want us to spend any more money and our mandate is to keep things as low as we can. In the case of the historians, they are asking for more than double of the amount from 2010. I think [Blow's] recommendation of $30,000 is very generous under the circumstances," Lucas said. All councillors supported awarding $30,000 except Rhodes who said he sees similarities between the grant to the arts council and the historians. "How do you justify not giving it to the other group?" he asked.
The amount of $11,114 for the community school coordinator was also approved. Blow explained that this is the same amount that was awarded in 2010. The amount for School District 45 for the community school coordinator position, the funding for the historians and the arts council make up the core grants.
The Bowen Island Gymnastics Club asked for $15,000 to "increase athlete registration to its fullest capacity by providing a better foundation for administration and management, offering more bursaries, keeping fees reasonable, holding additional workshops and updating ailing equipment," according to the grant application. Part of the grant money was earmarked for covering the rental cost of the gym. Morse said that one of the criteria of the grants demonstrated financial need was not evident in the club's application. Councillor Andrew Stone compared the cost of attending gymnastics classes to those of other programs like dance and music lessons. He found the club's fees very low. He also drew attention to the fact that the gymnastics club has a paid administrator and paid instructors while other organizations are completely run by volunteers. Adelaar said, "I think the $2,400 for covering the replacement of the equipment is all we can afford." Council endorsed giving $2,400.
The Bowen Island Football Club applied for $4,000 for the construction of team shelters, the recommendation of the CFO was to award $1,100. Councillor Darron Jennings said that he has been a soccer player for most of his life and an avid supporter of the football club. Yet faced with the many applications on the table, he said, "I think those funds could be allocated to some other group. [The shelters] are a purchase that a more established club should undertake and this is something that could be a fundraising effort or it could be pushed back for fall grants in aid." With the agreement of the other councillors, the football club's amount was amended to $0.
The Bowen Island Agricultural Alliance asked for $2,000 to support the BowFEAST farmers markets and workshops. Morse said that the organization's budget showed revenue exceeding expenses. Since the criteria of demonstrated financial need was not met, the amount was reduced to $0. The Bowen Island Community Fair Association had applied for financial support of $2,000. Morse had looked closely at the group's financial statements and said, "They are expecting $23,000 of revenue in their budget when the revenue in the year before was $26,000." She added that she didn't understand why the municipality should make up the difference. Council agreed to award $1,600.
Bowen Heritage applied for $2,000 to implement an education program titled Life in the Orchard. Council approved the sum of $1,400 as recommended by the CFO. The Bowen Island Scouts applied for $2000 and were granted $1,100.
Grant applications that were approved for the full amount included Tir-na-nOg Theatre School ($10,000), Bowen Family Place ($10,000), Snug Cove House Society, formerly Abbeyfield ($1,823 - cost of 2012 taxes) and Seniors Keeping Young ($2,000). After council's adjustments, $10,131 were held back for fall grants in aid.
