On Wednesday, Feb. 7, Whitecourt Mayor Tom Pickard presented a $50,000 operating grant to the Whitecourt District Agricultural Society.
In November of 2023, Administration says it received a letter from the Whitecourt District Agricultural Society requesting an operating grant. The Town says it has historically provided the Society with an annual $22,000 operating grant. However, the Town says it has not yet provided the Society with operating grants for 2020 to 2023 as the Intermunicipal Collaboration Framework (ICF) has not yet been signed and Woodlands County challenged the arbitration findings for Third Party Services through a Judicial Review in which an award has not yet been received.
The draft ICF proposed a $25,000 operating grant that should have started in 2020, with a 2 per cent increase each year, say Town officials, meaning the Whitecourt District Agricultural Society is missing over $100,000 in funding.
Mayor Pickard says council understands that the Agricultural Society is currently facing uncertainty due to the delay in funding. “That’s why council wanted to make that contribution, realizing they were in financial difficulty and we certainly didn’t want that to continue.”
Mayor Pickard also says he believes supporting the Agricultural Society is a good thing for Whitecourt residents. “I do know that council recognizes that Whitecourt residents do benefit from and participate in the Agricultural Society.”
Whitecourt town council approved the $50,000 payment at the Jan. 23, 2024, regular meeting of council.
