CENTRAL MANITOULIN—A request for an increase donation from Central Manitoulin council to the Historical Society from $525 to $1,000 was met with pushback from a number of members of council.

“I just have a problem, Mr. Mayor, with raising this amount of money up to a thousand dollars,” said Councillor Derek Stephens. “I’ve never actually figured out why this council is giving money to this board to begin with. We host all their stuff. We hire their employees now and the whole bit. We pay their insurances, why are we giving this board money? This is the only board in this municipality that we give money to. I question the benefit our ratepayers get by giving money to this performance.”
“I’d just like to say it’s not the only place that we have donations to boards,” noted Mayor Stephens. “We make payments to the Planning Board, to the District Services Board and the Manitoulin Municipal Association board, so we do use the municipal funds for a purpose that serves us well, and this is one of those.”

“I agree with Derek,” said Councillor Rose Diebolt. “Why are we giving them a thousand dollars?” Councillor Diebolt noted that the municipality hired a curator for a one-year placement as well.

“Those other boards that you mentioned supply services to the Manitoulin Island,” said Councillor Stephens. “We need a planning board, because that’s how we get our assessments done and our zoning and everything else. The Manitoulin Municipal Association is a board of all the elected officials here on the Island. This Historical Society is basically a club. I don’t see what benefit my taxpayers are getting by even at the $500 level. What benefit is my ratepayers getting from this board? When we pay everything for them?”

“I would just like to have a better explanation as to what the money is going to be used for,” said Councillor Brian Mitchell. “What’s it going to be used for? Is it just for operations, then I want a breakdown as to what it is for, repairs or to repair or fix up the artifacts.”

Councillor Diebolt asked what kind of fundraising the organization conducts.

“I don’t think people understand what the Historical Society is all about,” said Mayor Stephens. “We have a museum, and somebody has to look after it and have it available for the public to see. The big part that I remember when I was involved in it, and I’m not just involved as I was, the students would come down from the schools and they came from not only Mindemoya to see how our forefathers worked with and used equipment, and now it’s put on display here and discussions are made and questions are asked and hopefully answered. But it’s an education centre, it’s not a production centre, it’s an education facility for our residents and our students.”

“I think every small town needs a little bit of culture,” shared Councillor Linda Farquhar. “That’s what our museum represents. It’s there for people to come and look up their ancestral roots and whatnot.”

“We had another board out there who had a beautiful asset home,” said Councillor Stephens, referencing the Big Lake Schoolhouse. “But that was an absolutely gorgeous building and this council decided that they weren’t going to support that group. They weren’t going to support that building, and we got rid of it and basically devastated that group. It was a beautiful asset. That school was absolutely gorgeous. The way they had it fixed up with all the old stuff from the single room school. But it wasn’t that important, I guess, being out in Sandfield, but because this group happens to be in Mindemoya, and it seems to be a pet project of the mayor, we’re going to give it more money, and I do not see any benefit to my ratepayers in giving this board more money when we pay everything for them.”

Councillor Dale Scott also said he supported the motion. “I wouldn’t be surprised that they’re getting some funding from their municipalities,” he noted, citing the Sheguiandah Museum in Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands and the Gore Bay Museum. “I think, like Richard, the education, our history, and just having information center where we all can go to and our tourists in the summer have an opportunity to learn about what the community has to offer.”

Councillor Stephens requested a recorded vote.

Councillors Bisaillon, Farquhar, Mitchell, Scott and Mayor Stephens voted in favour of the motion, while Councillors Diebolt and Stephens voted against it.