Councillor Russ Gingrich went on the record for the second time as voting against a grant in aid.
Gringrich, who recently voted against a $1,000 grant in aid for the Nak’azdli Band towards their Aboriginal Day celebrations, this time voted against a $3,500 grant in aid for Music on the Mountain (MoM) Society’s annual music and art event.
While Councillor Joan Burdeniuk and Councillor Riley Willick both spoke in support of MoM, Gingrich was firm in his disagreement the council give such a large amount of money towards the event.
Gingrich said he has spoken to some business owners in the community and doesn’t believe the event brings money into the community, while Willick and Burdeniuk both said the event helps increase tourism, livability and their advertising benefits the image of Fort St. James.
“They do bring a lot of people into our community,” said Burndeniuk, she also said as a business person in the community she sees it benefitting business.
Willick agreed and said he saw local artisans at the market held during the event and spoke of another person he knows who has been making t-shirts for the event, calling it a “trickle-down effect” for start-ups and smaller businesses in the community.
Both Willick and Burdeniuk voted in favour of supporting Aboriginal Day and Music on the Mountain for $1,000 and $3,500 respectively, while Gingrich went on the record as opposed.
Councillor Birdi was absent from the June 26 meeting.
