Grant District Council will provide the equivalent of $1350 to two organisations requesting financial assistance after councillors voted in favour of the proposals at a recent elected members meeting.
Councillors voted in favour of providing $550 towards the Mount Gambier Chamber of Commerce and Women in Business and Regional Development’s ‘Toast – The Limestone Coast’ event. According to its organisers, it is a gala event hosted at The Barn Palais that showcases the best of local Limestone Coast businesses along with special guests for a night of entertainment, food and wine.
The funds allocated represent ‘bronze’ tier funding as part of the event’s partnership package and adds to the $1100 council is currently providing over two years to Women in Business and Regional Development, an organisation led by one of council’s elected members, Kylie Boston.
Councillor Megan Dukalskis moved that council provide $550 in financial assistance to the event. Cr Bruce Bain seconded the report, which was carried. Cr Boston left the chamber when council voted on the funding proposal and did not vote on the matter. Council also voted to provide $800 in funding towards the Mount Gambier Basketball Association, but under a few conditions after Cr Megan Dukalskis identified a discrepancy in the funding application by the association.
In its original proposal, the association requested financial assistance to deliver an outreach basketball program for school aged children. The requested funding of $800 would be used to extend the delivery of the basketball association’s existing free basketball clinics to schools within Grant District Council including Suttontown, Allendale, Kongorong, Compton, Mil Lel and Glenburnie should they choose to be involved.
However, elected members voted to provide the funding subject to agreement the program supports Grant District Council schools and the program can be fully funded, noting what council described as a minor financial discrepancy.
The report was moved by Cr. Bruce Bain and seconded by Cr. Barry Kuhl.
