The Town of Rocky Mountain House is considering a loan to cover approximately $23,000 in debt incurred by the Rocky Mountain House & District Minor Football Association.
Officials with the Football Association say the debt was accumulated during the construction of a new lighting structure at Curtis Field, where costs exceeded the original 2017 estimates.
Councillor Dave Auld, who brought forward a motion to consider the loan, said the business community is on the hook for the outstanding balance.
Auld proposed offering the club an interest-bearing loan so that local businesses which contributed to the project could be compensated sooner.
“The football club will need to do the fundraising and secure sponsorships,” Auld said. “Financially, business owners shouldn’t be on the hook.”
Auld, along with Acting Mayor Len Phillips, expressed concern that allowing this situation to continue could lead to growing cynicism in an otherwise generous business community.
Councillor Tina Hutchinson questioned whether the town should provide a loan, asking if the Football Association had already exhausted all other options.
As part of the process, CAO Dean Krause explained that council must approve a bylaw before any loan can be given to a non-profit. There is also a 60-day window for ratepayers to provide feedback.
Doug Laut, president of the Rocky Mountain House & District Minor Football Association, appeared before Clearwater County council in October to inform them of the situation but did not ask the county for financial assistance at that time.
Deputy Mayor Shippelt suggested the town should “move this off our plate” and pay the money out of its own coffers, especially if the county would consider covering half of the debt.
Auld disagreed, noting the club had previously asked the town for financial assistance. He argued that since it was their project, the Football Association should be responsible for settling the outstanding balance.
The Town of Rocky Mountain House and Clearwater County had previously each contributed $56,000 to cover cost overruns, including electrical work, engineering, the hiring of a project manager, and the ballooning cost of the masts.
In October, Laut said the organization was exploring the possibility of clearing its roughly $20,000 GST bill, noting that non-profit organizations with net assets over $200,000 may be exempt from paying GST.
The $400,000 lightning mast project was completed in August 2024.
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RELATED:
- “Football can’t afford $23,000.” Rocky Minor Football requests Town & County assist with deficit
- Lighting mast project complete at Curtis Field
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