It was the only council vote that wasn’t unanimous on Monday night.
In a 4-3 decision, Parskville city council decided to provide $5,000 to the Vancouver Island North Film Commission. The film commission had asked for $10,000.
Those who voted against providing the money said they are in support of what the commission does. These councillors said they voted against the request Monday night because they believed council, after a long discussion at a previous meeting, was going to look at all these kind of requests differently.
Council asked staff earlier this month to come back with a policy recommendation for money requests like the one in front of them on Monday night. The policy could include provisions like the need for those making the request to provide financial information about their organizations, and to declare whether they were also asking other nearby municipalities for money, too.
Coun. Kim Burden, the instigator of the changes in the way the city looks at these requests, said Monday it would be “hypocritical” of him to support the motion to give the film commission money.
“I support what they are doing but it would be difficult for me to support this kind of request,” said Burden.
Coun. Kirk Oates made the motion Monday to support the film commission with $5,000 from the city, the same amount the city kicked to the commission in 2016.
“This type of expense is a good value for $5,000,” said Oates. “I believe we got a good bang for our buck last year. And I believe there is enough (financial) information in here (the letter of request from the commission). Anything other than that is just politics.”
There was talk around the council table about the money brought into the city through the filming last summer of the Hallmark Channel’s Chesapeake Shores series, which is set to return to the area to film season two this year. Some estimates suggested the production pumped $58,000/day into the local economy.
The motion to provide the commission with $5,000 passed 4-3 and was supported by Oates, Mayor Mark Lefebvre and councillors Mary Beil and Teresa Patterson. Burden and councillors Sue Powell and Leanne Salter were opposed.
In other council news from Monday night:
• Organizers from the Brant Wildlife Festival outlined a long and exciting list of events in the area from March 13-April 22.
Lynne Brooks and Michelle Harnett also spoke about the significance of the area for the future of the Brant goose, which stops here every year to gorge on herring roe before heading to breeding grounds in the arctic.
“If they don’t pack on the weight they will not be egg-laying Brant and their species won’t survive,” said Brooks.
The festival folk also reminded people that dogs are not allowed on the beaches of the area without a leash, a rule to help keep the Brant safe, from March 1-April 30.
For more information aout the festival, go to: brantfestival.bc.ca.
