Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Hold on New Contract For SPC

City council needs more time to consider a contract extension with the Social Planning Council (SPC), worth more money. Funding for the group that helps with social needs, would go from $50,000 a year, to 60,000 annually, for five years. Mayor Wayne Lippert says council members agree with the benefits of the non profit group, but some have problems with its request for some space at city hall. He tells Kiss FM, "The majority of council's main concern was, (the SPC) was looking for office space in with the city's planning and engineering department, and council had real concerns that the perception would be that its now a city position. We also felt that when it came to people taking part in that, when it came to other organizations or funding that that close association and the perception could actually hurt the Social Planning Council."Lippert says the city is asking for more details from the SPC which he says is moving out of its current site on 31st Avenue.

He says Councillor Bob Spiers felt the length of the contract was an issue, saying perhaps it should be for two or three years.The mayor says the SPC under executive director Annette Sharkey has greatly assisted the city in initiatives over the last three years like a new homeless shelter and affordable housing.

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