It was a relatively light agenda for the first Town of Stettler council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 5, as most of the town's staff are busy working on budget preparations.
Shelly Walker from Stettler Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) attended the meeting to present her organization's budget to council, seeking its approval for ongoing support. FCSS' budget is comprised of grants from both the Town of Stettler and the County of Stettler, as well as a municipal grant. Eighty per cent is covered by the provincial grants, while 20 per cent is covered by the municipal grant, documents revealed.
The total grant from the Town of Stettler would come to $193,160, of which $157,147 would be covered by the provincial grant. That leaves the town to cover the remaining $36,013, a $3,274 increase.
Walker revealed that one FCSS position had gone from part-time to full time, which created an increase in expense of $9,897 or 5.55 per cent. With a surplus of funds left over from some projects last year, FCSS was able to decrease program expenses by $5,000. Other increases included maintenance and repair, funding to volunteer centre programs, and board expenses.
Walker explained that the budget was not yet approved by Alberta FCSS, but anticipates no trouble.
Support for FCSS and its programs was unanimous around the table, with council voting together to support the increase in the FCSS budget, pending approval from Alberta FCSS.
Stettler FCSS was not the only community organization appearing before council at the meeting, as a delegation from the Stettler Board of Trade stepped forward following the completion of the FCSS presentation.
Led by Stacey Benjamin, executive director of the Board of Trade, the delegation presented its 2016 budget and asked for support from the town to the tune of $246,172.
The Board of Trade, which combines several different elements under its roof including the Chamber of Commerce and tourism, has several conferences and workshops planned for the coming year, Benjamin explained. These conferences and workshops are focused on the business -related topics, like starting one or adapting one and loss prevention.
Stettler's tourism centre saw increased traffic in 2015, something Benjamin said she believed was due to the economy. With everything so uncertain and many people taking financial hits, Albertans are staying in Alberta to vacation, she said. Stettler as a destination is attractive as it's very central and has several festivals, rodeos and other tourist attractions in the vincinity.
The Steel Wheel Stampede improved greatly on previous years, Benjamin said. While not a Board of Trade event, the organization works hand-in-hand with organizers to help pull off the large rodeo bonanza. This year, the rodeo moved to an earlier date in the hopes of attracting more competitors and viewers — something that was a success, despite damp weather.
The Pheasant Festival pulled off its second year with few hitches, Benjamin noted, increasing its profit margins slightly.
"It was a steep learning curve, but we did learn (from the first year)," Benjamin said in an interview after the meeting. "We spoke with vendors and with participants to find out what worked and didn't work."
The new float has been well-received and the Board of Trade hopes to get it out to more parades throughout 2016, including some of the tourist traps like Banff and Jasper, all in the hopes of attracting people back to Stettler.
In 2015, the Board of Trade brought in revenues of $226,760, but fielded expenses of $472,932, leaving them with a $246,172 gap. That is $28,502, or 13.09 per cent, higher than the previous year.
Council unanimously voted to support the request.