A new McLean Mill Society that takes over the mill’s operations on Jan. 1 has begun its search for an executive director.
Although the City of Port Alberni will be supporting the search, CAO Tim Pley said the position won’t be filled by city personnel.
In addition, Pley advised council at a regular council meeting on Monday night that the new McLean Mill Board of Management would like $50,000 as an advance on their annual funds.
“This is something we’ve done in recent years,” Pley said. “In both 2015 and 2016 we gave the Industrial Heritage Society (IHS) a $50,000 advance on their annual budget—annual allotment of city funds—and so this report is asking that we do the same for McLean Mill Society.”
Coun. Chris Alemany questioned if the early allotment of $50,000 for the new board of management would be going to pay off the IHS’s debt of $55,000.
“There’s no connection at all between the ask of the IHS, which is a similar amount of money, and the advance of budget to the McLean Mill Society,” Pley said. “The McLean Mill Society, being new, won’t be incumbent financially.”
The new board of management is currently reviewing the IHS’s financial shortfall and Pley believes they will provide their recommendations to council at the next meeting on Dec.12.
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