The town distributes $42,000 per year in municipal grants. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

municipal program

La Ronge council allots $21,000 in grants to six community groups

Jan 26, 2023 | 5:00 PM

All six applicants in the first intake of the 2023 municipal grant program received funding.

La Ronge council allotted the funds at a regular meeting on Tuesday. They decided to award $5,000 to Churchill Community High School, $5,000 to Northern Animal Rescue, $5,000 to Sum Theatre Corp., $4,500 to Napatāk Ramble Music & Arts Inc., $750 to Peanut Productions, and $750 to the Wild Rice Writers Group.

Council was most undetermined about what amount to award the Napatāk Ramble. The original request was for $8,000 and the only councillor willing to give that amount was Abby Besharah.

“I would like to throw all the support towards that particular event and also they’re very inclusive of children and families and they are very family-friendly,” she said. “I’d be comfortable with $8,000.”

Coun. Matthew Klassen, however, was opposed to awarding Napatāk Ramble any funds whatsoever.

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“I’ve had an obscene amount of ratepayers complain about their tax money going to fund something out of the community. Lots of them,” he said.

Council, with the exception of deputy-mayor Viviana Ruiz-Arcand who was not in attendance, each provided administration with an amount they would like to award. The average of all those amounts came to $4,500.

The municipal grant program for community groups is provided to assist (both financial and through in-kind support) non-profit organizations and volunteer groups in a fair and equitable process. The program is administered through two intake deadlines on Jan. 1 and July 1 of each year.

The policy allots $42,000 per year and council may administer these funds via the two intakes in whatever amounts deemed appropriate, which is typically 50 per cent of funds or less per intake.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno