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The town of Fort Frances will not use a portion of the Moffat Family Fund to cover the cost of administering the program.
The Winnipeg Foundation is providing the town with $103,750 through the fund.
It was created to assist charitable organizations in the community where the Moffat family operated cable and broadcasting systems.
Administration gave council an option of using 3 per cent of the fund, or $3,113, to cost expenses or having the town cover the expense.
Chief Administrative Officer Travis Rob says there is a lot of staff time involved.
“I don’t think we necessarily have a specific cost that’s worked out,” says Rob. “There’s a fair amount of staff time that goes into preparing agendas and packages and taking applications and then notifying the successful recipients reports back to Council. So, it’s a lot of staff time that goes into it, not necessarily tangible paper, things like that.”
However, council was not keen on taking money from the fund to cover those costs.
“All this money is going to charitable organizations that scrape and claw for every penny they get. And I just hate to see us take $3,000 out of the pot to cover some minimal expenses by the town,” says Councillor Steve Maki.
“I think that all the money should go to the groups that are applying for it because they’re all doing great work in our community. I think, as Councilor Maki said, every penny counts for them, so I have no problem foregoing that 3 per cent charge,” says Councillor Mike Behan.
The town will begin accepting applications for this year’s fund on Monday, January 15. and end on Friday, March 1.
A new Ad-Hoc Committee will review them and make recommendations to council on March 25 before forwarding them to the Winnipeg Foundation for final approval.
