Essex County council concerned about large donation to United Way

By Fred Groves

Essex County Council wants to reexamine a request from the United Way.

At last Wednesday night’s meeting, county council agreed to send $50,000 to the organization’s Cradle to Career initiative but wants to look at the policy when it comes to large donations.

A May 17 presentation by the Windsor-Essex United Way to support the program’s request of $50,000 each year for five years has raised some concerns.

“Are we saying we are going to take $250,000 of taxpayers money and make a donation to a charity?,” asked Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey.

County CAO Sandra Zwiers said that the program is to help reduce child poverty in the region.

Bailey was not the only one to question the request.

“This is a donation, I don’t think it’s a proper way to spend taxpayers’ dollars,” said LaSalle Mayor Crystal Meloche.

When United Way executive director

Lorraine Goodard made the request back in May, she identified three specifically targeted areas where child poverty is an issue – two in Windsor, and the third in Leamington.

Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy said that while those three areas are where the funds are most needed now, that could change. She also wanted to know what the City of Windsor was contributing.

“Priorities in the county might change. They should come to us and explain what is going on,” said Bondy.

Zwiers added that terms and conditions of the money from the county as well as accountability and what actually the funds will be used for might be necessary.

“We led them to the impression we were giving them money when they came here,” said Bondy.

Zwiers, who is also the county treasurer, explained that $50,000 had been set aside a couple of years ago for such a program like the Cradle to Career and put into reserves. During the meeting she thought it would be a good idea to know where United Way is getting their funding for the program.

Lakeshore Deputy Mayor Kirk Walstedt made the motion to send the $50,000 to United Way, after some discussion he withdrew the motion, with concerns if the county sent that amount, were they committed to the donation for the next four years.

“Are they expecting $50,000 or can we put it back into reserves and not give them that?,” he asked.

Walstedt rescinded his motion but put it back on the table once it was realized that the county would commit to the donation this year, but not for four years at this time.