City under fire over CCDA budget letter timing

“So I open this letter and attached to the letter is the CCDA budget and as a stakeholder, they would like our input and we have until December 30. I received the letter on December 29, and we had until noon. So let’s remember that the premier shut down all businesses, so I am going to say 70 per cent of businesses downtown will never see this letter until after January 12,”

“So we gave business owners one day, in the hopes that no one would check their mail. I think that is awful, absolutely awful. Budget aside it is slimy,” she added.

The CCDA is a separate entity that relies on tax levies from downtown businesses for funding.

Sharps says when she read the budget there were a number of items of concern, including the $100,000 grant from the city that was taken out.

“So they get to take their money out with no consultation but we don’t get to take ours?” Sharps asked.

And with much of the city still struggling due to shutdowns, she questions if the budget is even realistic, specifically with the Monarch Theatre.

“They are increasing our revenues by $40,000 from the last couple of years when there was no pandemic, and I don’t understand how we do this, if there is still social distancing, there are still these businesses shut down that means we all can’t sit together in a movie theatre.” she said.

The CCDA said they were blindsided by the letter, regarding their own annual budget and they have been fielding messages ever since.

“This was their mistake. This letter that was sent out was poorly done it was poorly timed and they dropped the ball and they’ve got to answer for that.” CCDA chair Jeremy Silver said.

In response, the City of Medicine Hat, admits the timing of the letter was a mistake.

“I think it is fair to say that business owners did not receive enough time to review the changes to the budget. There were some changes made which was one reason for the delay in the normal process. So normally I think this would have gone out in November. There was some back and forth this year with the pandemic and some responses to the pandemic,” said Jon Sookocheff, economic recovery officer with Invest Medicine Hat.

He also said higher-level strategic changes at the city, regarding the riverfront development plan, also contributed to the timing delay.

“You know frankly we missed the deadline and we will have to take ownership of that,” he said.

But Sookocheff noted the CCDA budget is a yearly routine matter, that was also advertised in the local paper to remind stakeholders.

As for Sharps, she’s pushing for the deadline to be extended so that business owners can have adequate time to provide input.

She also wants out of the CCDA because she doesn’t see much value to the organization considering the amount she contributes every year.

Council is expected to discuss the CCDA budget at tonight’s council meeting.

by Tiffany Goodwein

City under fire over CCDA budget letter timing

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