Letter: Councillors should continue to control ward funds

Healthy Community Initiatives (HCI) funds are not “slush” funds, and if treated in a transparent, accountable and reportable, way would continue to benefit and strengthen our communities in the City of Greater Sudbury.

It’s not about buying votes, it’s about building healthy communities.

I believe that our new council should continue to endorse HCI Funds ($50,000 per Ward) and they should continue to be disbursed by the councillors, who were elected by the majority of the voters in their respective wards.

I do not believe that a panel of 12 citizens or the Community Action Networks or city staff should replace the vital role and working relationship of a councillor with the residents of her/his ward.

I believe that removing the disbursement of the HCI funds from councillors is insulting to the integrity, intelligence and intentions of the men and women who ran for election.

The process of disbursement of HCI Funds should be transparent, accountable and reportable annually to council, their ward and all taxpayers.

There should be a consistent process, with guidelines and a timeline for community groups in wards to apply to their councillor for funds.

There could be simple and easy-to-use applications for HCI Funds for small capital projects up to $1,000 with a deadline for applications and timely responses to applicants, so that community groups could plan and implement their projects ASAP. Brief post-project reports should be submitted to the councillor.

Requests for HCI Funds for capital projects over $1,000 could require more detailed but easy-to-use applications (i.e. proposed budget/quotes, action plans, timelines, ect.), plus meetings with ward councillor and city staff, as required, partnerships established with corporate sponsors, specific ways to provide public recognition of HCTI Funds and more detailed post-project reports submitted to the councillor and the community.

Councillors should not be able to accumulate HCI Funds of more than $50,000. If the total HCI Funds are not used for Healthy Community Initiatives in the councillor’s ward during the fiscal year, the councillor would only receive an amount to bring the total HCI Funds back to $50,000 for the next year.

Each councillor should provide an annual HCI funding report.

Disbursed in a transparent and accountable way, the funds would continue to strengthen communities throughout the city.

Gwen Doyle
Lively