Creston town council voted on July 12 to approve $5,000 in funds for the Beyond Wild youth program, which had received only $1,000 of a $10,000 request in the spring.
The contribution wasn’t without controversy, though. Coun. Judy Gadicke opened the discussion with a motion to provide no additional funds. Her motion died when a seconder didn’t come forward.
Debate opened after Coun. Joanna Wilson’s motion to provide the $9,000 requested by program manager Brandy Dyer was seconded by Coun. Tanya Ducharme.
“I like the program but I don’t think it fits as a reason why we collect tax money,” Gadicke said.
“I support the program but it needs to have more money invested than the Creston tax base,” said Coun. Wesly Graham.
Regional district directors, the school district and other sources also had to kick in, he said.
Town manager Lou Varela said capital funding from Columbia Basin Trust will help the program become more sustainable in future years. The Kootenai Community Centre Society (KCCS), which operates the Beyond Wild recreational program for children 10-13 years of age, is constructing two apartments for youth in its Canyon Street building. Rental fees from the apartment will help pay for the Beyond Wild program in future years, KCCS executive director Dina Bambrick said.
Bambrick challenged a comment made at the council table that funds for the Beyond Wild program in the past might have been used for other KCCS services or administration costs.
“I assure you, and I can prove to you, that all town money has gone into programming,” she said. “We need this funding to this degree for one more year. If we come back to the town in the future it will be for a much lower amount.”
After further discussion, Wilson accepted to a friendly amendment to her motion, reducing the figure to $5,000 in recognition of the nearly $4,000 the town had contributed toward renovations and furnishings for the Cook Street building, which also houses the Grizzly Bear Out of School Care program and an alternate high school program.