> Get some chef hats, have some fun with Valentine’s dinner /Pg 2 > Nominations open for Grimsby civic awards Pg 4 > John Hewitt quiet Grimsby builder Page 6 > Tell us why you love your community Pgs 8-9 Thursday, February 9, 2023 Vol. 11 Issue 38
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McNally ask rejected again, deferred to 2023 budget
Fresh air and adventure
Klayton Labate and Christine Ellis of Grimsby take their golden retrievers - Evie and Presley - for some exercise while they hike the Bruce Trail at Beamer Conservation Area on a Sunday afternoon. McDonald – Photo
By Mike Williscraft NewsNow Strike two was the result of a second go-round for a McNally House Hospice ask at Grimsby Council for $132,000 to support their fourbed expansion project. The request was initially deferred to 2023 budget consideration at the Jan. 16 council meeting, but Monday night it was lifted for reconsideration. Coun. Nick DiFlavio put a motion on the floor, seconded by Coun. Reg Freake, that council approve the expenditure. He also reiterated, “I agree wholeheartedly that we should have a criteria.” This comment referred to the Town developing a formal process for community and charitable “asks” which come to council from time to time. The initial vote Jan. 16 was 6-3 against, while Monday night DiFlavio’s vote was rejected 5-4. Councillors Delight Davoli, Veronica Charrois, Jennifer Korstanje, Don Howe and Lianne Vardy opposed. Mayor Jeff Jordan and Councillors DiFlavio, Freake and Jacob Baradziej, who flipped his vote, were in favour. “I will say that I am really torn on this particular issue. I believe in the good work that this organization does,” said Davoli, who went on to question the transparency of the McNally organization by not having its 2022 financials on its web-
site. She also noted that no initial mention of McNally’s Foundation, which has $2 million in it, was also a problem for her. “I was disappointed in the fact that I don’t feel, yet, like they share that same vision that I have for openess and accountability and transparency,” said Davoli. “Perhaps if they were asked they would come forward with it and that would be a lovely thing, and they probably would. They’re good people, but that’s why I thought we should refer this back to the budget process, set a policy about all of it and make sure everybody is very clear about that.” Korstanje said approving the request ahead of having a formal process would set a bad precedent. “We cannot say ‘yes’ to this and then establish criteria and expect every other organization to follow that criteria,” said Korstanje. “That would not be fair. From a legal perspective, that would open us up to liability.” DiFlavio said the rationale of Davoli and Korstanje was off-base, noting the Town’s 2022 Financial statements are not on the Town site, either, suggesting that was more of a housekeeping issue. “The idea of any decision we make being precedent setting, I can tell you that we’ve given money to organizations in the past and See McNALLY, Page 3