‘It’s a sad day’: Richmond Hill community groups to face council scrutiny

Alzheimer Society of York Region, Opera York and Richmond Hill United Church will receive maximum of $5,000

Yorkregion.com
February 10, 2020
Sheila Wang

Several Richmond Hill community groups are coming under scrutiny as council held off giving its stamp of approval for community grants this year.

Council voted to not approve the annual cultural and community grants for 2020 at a meeting on Jan. 22 and ask the potential recipients to attend the Feb. 12 council meeting to validate their requests for public money.

Councillor Greg Beros, who put forward the motion, said that council shouldn’t “hand out tax dollars” to community groups on behalf of the residents.

He made the comment after receiving a staff report that recommended providing a total of $64,820 grants to a short list of local organizations and individual artists.

“One or more of the organizations have deviated from their core missions and have become a political lobbying group,” Regional Councillor Carmine Perrelli said.

He made the comment before amending the motion by asking potential recipients to attend next meeting where council will make a final decision on the grants.

“They’re asking for money, but I don’t have the opportunity to ask them questions,” he said.

This year, staff selected 20 community groups and individuals out of a total of 34 applications after in-depth reviews conducted by the city’s community services department, the report says.

Each of the shortlisted groups and individuals - including Alzheimer Society of York Region, Opera York and Richmond Hill United Church - will receive a maximum of $5,000 once council gives the go-ahead.

However, Mayor Dave Barrow was the only council member present who supported the approval of the grants at the meeting. Councillors David West and Karen Cilevitz recused themselves after each declared an “indirect pecuniary interest.”

In a statement, West said he served as a volunteer --who receives no monetary benefit --on a board of directors of one of the shortlisted groups and therefore chose to recuse himself from discussion “out of an abundance of caution.”

Cilevitz said she recused herself because of her associations/affiliations with a number of the named organizations.

“I in no way 'profit' from any of those associations and affiliations, nor do I receive any monetary compensation from them whatsoever,” the councillor responded on Feb. 6 to what she deemed “derogatory insinuations” made by some council members at the meeting.

“We’re very aware of the conflict on council. It’s concerning that it may get in the way of the grant program,” said Kathy Mochnacki, president of the board of directors of Home on the Hill Supportive Housing.

Home on the Hill is a long-established not-for profit organization in Richmond Hill, which is among the shortlisted recipients for this year’s community grants.

“The money is going to help people to stay well and live in the community. We’re saving the system a lot of money in the long run,” Mochnacki said, noting she planned to attend the council meeting to answer questions.

She said she had no issues with doing “diligence” but found the council direction “intimidating.”

"It's a sad day," Gloria Marsh with York Region Environmental Alliance (YREA) said. "I think it’s very mean-spirited and it shows a lack of community support."

Richmond Hill has been distributing an annual $65,000 fund for many years in order to support groups and individuals who help build a vibrant community through their services and activities.

From 2016 to 2019, the city provided funding to 87 applicants, the report says.

“Every organization gives back tenfold,” Marsh said, noting although YREA didn’t apply for this year’s grant, they were “very appreciative” of the funding received in the past.

Organizations like YREA need a variety of funding sources to continue to provide the services to the community, she said, noting the "generosity" of neighbouring municipalities in York Region in their supports for community groups.

"I think they're doing it vindictively to target one organization and now everyone will suffer," Marsh said.