03 - May 12, 2020 RIPA Committee Agenda Package
Rural Iniatives/Planning Advisory Committee
May 12, 2020
Table of Contents
I.Agenda –May 12, 2020……….............................................................................2
II.Minutes from the March 10, 2020 Meeting …………………………………………..3
III.Report from the Chief Administrative Officer -Elgin County 2020 Grant and
Festival Events Partnership ProgramAllocations…………………………………...
IV.Letter from Charlotte McDonald, Community Development Coordinator –
Eat2Learn………………………………………………………………………………...
V.Status of Applications for the 2020 Grant and Festival PartnershipProgram……
1
Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M.
Meeting to be held electronically.
Agenda
1.Approval of Agenda
2. Approval of the Minutes
3.Elgin County 2020 Grant and Festival Events Partnership Program Allocations
4. Signage Grant – Aylmer-Malahide Museum/Archives
5.Date of Next Meeting
6.Adjournment
2
Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
Date: March 10,2020
Location: Elgin County Administration Building, 450 Sunset Drive, St. Thomas
rd
Administrative Services Boardroom, 3Floor
Time:12:30p.m.
Attendees:Members of the Rural Initiatives/Planning AdvisoryCommittee
Councillor Ed Ketchabaw
Councillor Sally Martyn
Warden Dave Mennill
Heather Derks
Elgin County Staff
Chief Administrative Officer, Julie Gonyou
General Manager of Economic Development, Alan Smith
Legislative Services Coordinator, Megan Shannon
1.Call toOrder
th
The Rural Initiatives/Planning Advisory Committee met this 10day of March, 2020 in
the Administrative Services Boardroom, at the County Administration Building, St.
Thomas at 12:35 p.m.
2.Approval ofAgenda
Moved by: WardenMennill
Resolved that the agenda be approved as presented.
-Motion Carried.
3.Adoption of Minutes
Moved by: Heather Derks
Se
Resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting be adopted.
-Motion Carried.
4.Review Grant Scoring Matrix
The Committee reviewed the Grant Scoring Matrix. The Chief Administrative Officer
combined the Committee’s scores, reviewed the options, and noted that the options can
3
be adjusted.
Chair Ketchabaw asked whether or not the Grant Policy went out with the applications
and stated that he would like to have seed money made available.
The Committee discussed the agricultural societies. Heather Derks discussed the
financial statements for the agricultural societies. The organizations/events should find
alternative sources of income in the future.
Councillor agreed in principle and suggested that the Grant Policy be reviewed
and an orientation package be completed for next year.
The Chief Administrative Officer commented that there has been a significant change
from the 2019 to 2020 ask.
The Committee discussed the West Elgin Renaming Committee.
The Committee discussed the funding for Elgin 4-H Association.
WardenMennill was satisfied with Option 5. The Committee decided to allocate the $500
from the Fanshaw College PSW for seed money.
Councillor Mennill mentioned thatthere should be a deadline for applying next year.
Moved by: WardenMennill
Seconded by: Councillor
Resolved that the Committee move forward with Option 5.
-Motion Carried.
5.Next Meeting Date
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at1:00 p.m. at theCounty Administration Building, St. Thomas,
in the Administrative Services Boardroom.
6.Adjournment
Moved by: Councillor
Seconded by: Councillor Martyn
Resolved that the meeting adjourn at 12:56 p.m. to meet again on Tuesday, July 14, 2020
at 1:00 p.m. to determine.
-Motion Carried.
4
REPORT TO RURAL INITIATIVES AND
PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITEE
FROM:Julie Gonyou, Chief Administrative Officer
DATE:May 6, 2020
SUBJECT:Elgin County 2020 Grant and Festival Events Partnership Program
Allocations
INTRODUCTION:
At its meeting on April 14, 2020, Elgin County Council approved funding for the
following organizations through the Elgin County 2020 Grant and Festival Partnership
Program:
Tillsonburg and District Multi-Service Centre $4780
Quad County Support Services $2000
Second Stage Housing $13400
These three (3) organizations will receive 90% of funding up front, with the remaining
funds to be paid upon receipt of a final report. Chairman Ketchabaw reported to County
Council that the Rural Initiatives and Planning Advisory Committee (RIPA) would meet
in May-June 2020 to reassess the remaining requests for grants and make additional
recommendations to Council following saidmeeting.
PURPOSE:
A number of events and programs have been cancelled inElgin County in response to
the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial orders to limit gatherings, the closure of non-
essential businesses and our community’s efforts to stop the spread of the virus locally.
The purpose of this report is to review theremaining 2020 Grant and Festival Events
Partnership Program applications and seek direction from the Committee with respect to
outstanding applications.
With direction from Chairman Ketchabaw, staff solicited additional information from
grant applicants, seeking additional information with respect to whether their request for
funding had changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Information from
applicants is attached to this report.
Grant and Festival Partnership Program:
County Council, as part of its 2020 budget process, approved a budget of
$61,871 for grants.
At its meeting on March 10, 2020, the RIPA Committee receivedapplications for
grants from 14 community organizations totaling $82,980. The Rural Initiatives
Committee reviewed and carefully scored each of the applications and the
recommendations are noted in the chart belowin the fifth column titled
“Recommended Allocation March 10, 2020”.
5
At its meeting on April 14, 2020, Elgin County Council approved $20,180 in
funding through the Elgin County 2020 Grant and Festival Partnership Program
to the following organizations who urgently needed funding to support their
services through the pandemic:
o Tillsonburg and District Multi-Service Centre $4780
o Quad County Support Services $2000
o Second Stage Housing $13400
Staff requested additional information from applicants and Committee Members
are asked to refer to the attached:
o Letter from Charlotte McDonald, Community Development Coordinator –
Eat2Learn; and
o Status of Applications for the 2020 Grant and Festival Partnership
Program.
The remaining balance of$41,691isavailable for Grant and Festival
Partnership Program allocations. A sixth column has been added to the chart
below, titled “Staff Recommendation (May 5, 2020)”. This is for
illustrative/discussion purposes only.
Organization/Event201920192020RecommenStaff Recommend-Granted
(ask)(grant) (ask)ded ation (May 5, 2020)(April 14,
Allocation2020)
(March 10,
2020)
Shedden Agricultural 4500450045004500Additional information
Societyrequired
(on hold)
Wallacetown 10000100001000070007000
Agricultural Society
Rodney-Aldborough 6000600060006000Board direction
Agricultural Societyanticipated May 12,
2020
(on hold)
Aylmer & East Elgin 7500750075007500Board direction
Agricultural Societyanticipated June 1, 2020
(on hold)
Elgin 4-HAssociation20002000200020002000
Tillsonburg & District 4780478047804780n/a4780
Multi-Service Centre
Quad County Support 2000200020002000n/a2000
Services
Senior’s Picnic2500120015001275Application withdrawn
Second Stage Housing20000141202000013400n/a13400
Eat 2 Learn50005000750050005000
Elgin County Plowman’s 200154200200200
Association
STEAM Centre500034941200030003000
West Elgin Renaming 0050005000Application withdrawn
Committee
Fanshawe College PSW 500500500500500
(*)
Total 2020 (ask)82890
Total 2020 (granted)6188017,20020180
(available)
Total remaining funds 37380
(**)(based on
staff
recommendat
ions)
6
(*) PSW not included in the total as it is included in the Warden’s 2020 budget.
(**) depends on outstanding applications and RIPA Committee recommendations –
using staff recommendation, an outstanding $37,380 remainsfor future allocations.
DISCUSSION:
Since Committee Members have not yet had the opportunity to review the
supplementary information submitted by applicants (attached to this report), the
Committee may wish to:
Request follow up information from applicants;
Adjust allocations based on the availability of additional funds followingthe
withdrawal of two (2) applications;
Utilize the scoring tool to determine allocations – as previously used for the
March 10, 2020 recommendations; and
Design a new grant program which would utilize remaining funds.
NEXT STEPS:
It is clear from the feedback received from applicants that COVID-19 has created a
looming sense of uncertainty for festival and event organizers. Additionally, a number
of applicants identified other ways that the funding offered through the Grant and
Festival Partnership Program could be used to offset the unanticipated impacts resulting
from the pandemic. Following a review of the feedback from applicants, it is anticipated
that the Committee will determine next steps which may include allocating the funds,
requesting additional information from applicants, or designing a new program. It is
recommended that a letter be sent to outstanding applicants following the meeting.
All of which is Respectfully Submitted
Julie Gonyou
Chief Administrative Officer
7
!
315!Gjstu!Bwfovf!.!Cpy!3311:!!!!!!+!!!!!Tu/!Uipnbt-!Poubsjp!!!!!+!!!!!O6S!5Q1!!!!!!+!!!!!62:.318.2151!
Bqsjm!38-!3131!
Dpvouz!pg!Fmhjo!
561!Tvotfu!Esjwf!
Tu/!Uipnbt-!PO!O6S!6W2!
Efbs!Hsbou!Sfwjfx!Dpnnjuuff;!
Jo!Efdfncfs!312:-!pvs!pshboj{bujpo!bqqmjfe!gps!b!hsbou!jo!tvqqpsu!pg!Tdippm!Ovusjujpo!Qsphsbnt!bdsptt!!
Fmhjo!Dpvouz/!!Hjwfo!uif!sfdfou!DPWJE.2:!pvucsfbl-!boe!xjui!tdippm!dmptvsft!opx!fyufoefe!up!Nbz!42tu!!
boe!qpttjcmz!mpohfs-!xf!dpoujovf!up!cf!dpodfsofe!gps!tuvefout!xip!xpvme!uzqjdbmmz!bddftt!pvs!csfblgbtu-!
tobdl!boe!mvodi!qsphsbnt!evsjoh!uif!tdippm!ebz/!!Pvs!nfuipe!pg!tvqqpsujoh!tuvefout!boe!uifjs!gbnjmjft!!
ibt!esbnbujdbmmz!dibohfe!boe!xf!bsf!qvuujoh!gpsui!b!sfwjtfe!sfrvftu!up!uif!Dpvouz!gps!%7-361/11/!!
Lopxjoh!uibu!gppe!jotfdvsjuz!jt!bo!pohpjoh!jttvf!gps!dijmesfo!boe!uifjs!gbnjmjft!boe!fwfo!npsf!tp!opx!
xjuipvu!bddftt!up!tdippm!gppe!qsphsbnt-!xf!ibwf!qbsuofsfe!xjui!tfwfsbm!mpdbm!gppe!cbolt!up!bttjtu!gbnjmjft/!!
Vogpsuvobufmz-!uif!jojujbm!sftqpotf!xbt!mpx!boe!tmpx!boe-!gps!b!wbsjfuz!pg!sfbtpot-!gbnjmjft!xfsf!iftjubou!!
up!sfbdi!pvu!up!uifjs!mpdbm!gppe!cbol/!!Hjwfo!uibu-!xf!ftubcmjtife!uisff!gppe!ejtusjcvujpo!tjuft!bdsptt!uif!
Dpvouz!)Evuupo-!Bzmnfs!boe!Qpsu!Cvsxfmm*!up!ifmq!hfu!cpui!gppe!boe!gvoet!up!gbnjmjft!xjui!qpttjcmf!qmbot!!
up!fyqboe!mpdbujpot!tipvme!uif!offe!bsjtf/!!Qsf.qbdlfe!gppe!cpyft!bsf!bwbjmbcmf!gps!qjdl.vq!cz!tdippm!!
gbnjmjft!bu!pvs!tjuft!boe!xifsf!usbotqpsubujpo!jt!bo!jttvf-!xf!ibwf!b!ufbn!pg!wpmvouffs!esjwfst!dpnqmfujoh!
Æqpsdi!espqtÇ/!!Jo!beejujpo-!hspdfsz!dbset!bsf!bwbjmbcmf!up!gbnjmjft!bu!pvs!ejtusjcvujpo!tjuft!boe!ibwf!bmtp!!
cffo!bmmpdbufe!up!qsjodjqbmt!up!ejtusjcvuf!up!gbnjmjft-!qbsujdvmbsmz!uiptf!efbmjoh!xjui!gppe!bmmfshjft!ps!!
dvmuvsbm!gppe!qsfgfsfodft/!!!
Bu!gjstu-!211!gppe!cpyft!xbt!nffujoh!uif!jojujbm!offe-!cvu!xf!ibwf!ibe!b!61&!jodsfbtf!jo!efnboe-!xjui!22!!
pg!uif!28!Dpvouz!tdippmt!nbljoh!sfrvftut-!cbtfe!po!sfdfou!Æxfmmoftt!dbmmtÇ!nbef!cz!ufbdifst!up!uifjs!tdippm!
gbnjmjft/!!Xpsljoh!xjuijo!pvs!gjojuf!cvehfu-!261!gppe!cpyft!jt!pvs!qsftfou!dbqbdjuz!bmuipvhi!xf!ibwf!uif!
gppe!tvqqmz!boe!nboqpxfs!up!hp!cfzpoe!uijt!dfjmjoh!bt!xf!boujdjqbuf!b!sjtf!jo!ovncfst/!!Gjobodjbm!tvqqpsu!
gspn!uif!Dpvouz!xpvme!bmmpx!vt!up!jodsfbtf!pvs!dbqbdjuz!cz!bmnptu!31&-!ibwjoh!b!tjhojgjdbou!jnqbdu!po!uif!
hspxjoh!offe!jo!pvs!dpnnvojuz/!!!!!!!
Xf!ipqf!zpv!xjmm!mppl!gbwpvsbcmz!vqpo!pvs!sfrvftu!boe!tipvme!zpv!offe!boz!beejujpobm!jogpsnbujpo!
sfhbsejoh!uijt!sfwjtfe!qspqptbm-!qmfbtf!dpoubdu!nf!bu!uif!ovncfs!mjtufe!bcpwf/!!!
Tjodfsfmz-!
Dibsmpf!Epobme!
Dibsmpuuf!NdEpobme!
Dpnnvojuz!Efwfmpqnfou!Dppsejobups!
!
AptoqFmhjo
8
Status of Applications for the 2020 Grant and Festival Partnership Program
Application Status: Confirmed
1.Eat 2 Learn
Original grant request: $7500; allocated $5000
Their method of supporting students and their families has dramatically changed
andare putting forth a revised request to the County for $6,250.00. See letter.
2.Elgin County 4-H Association
Original grant request: $2000; allocated $2000
They are still requesting $2000 as outlined in this email from Brent Howe,
President:
“Good afternoon Mr Smith,
Yes we still require the $2,000.00 as requested to continue our programming for
the balance of the year.
COVID-19 has had a great impact on our application. Some of our events have
had to be cancelled, but now we are trying virtual meetings which is something
new to all of us. We have purchased a ZOOM subscription so we will have the
time allotment long enough to conduct our meetings. Each project must have 12
hours of instruction / meetings with our members.
Because of COVID-19, the association is subsidizing each membership by
$35 to help families who are struggling financially. We still want our members to
have the opportunity of participate in the 4H programs.
Our membership in 2019 was 92 members and we anticipate that number of
members again this year. To date, we have 36 members who have signed up
and 2 club projects have been completed. Two projects are on hold as they just
started when all gatherings of people were prohibited.
There are at least 7 more clubs scheduled to start now that the Elgin 4-H
Association has purchased the Zoom subscription.
The Elgin County 4-H Association, clubs & its members have benefited greatly in
the past from the funding from the County of Elgin. This year it will be welcomed
andappreciated even more.
Thank you for your continued support.”
9
3.Elgin County Plowmen’s association
Original grant request: $200; allocated $200
Plowing match will proceed. Application will remain as originally submitted.
4.Seniors Picnic/Day
Original grant request: $1500; allocated $1275
Event cancelled. Application withdrawn.
5.Steam Centre
Original grant request: $12000; allocated $3000
The STEAM Centre's application for funding consideration in the amount of
$12,000 is still requested as indicated in the following response/email from
Jessica Gransaull:
“Thanks for contacting me. I appreciate the opportunity to provide an update on
the STEAM Education Centre and our request for Leaders program support.
On March 16, STEAM Centre decided to halt all program delivery as a
nonessential organization. This unprecedented time has encouraged the STEAM
Team to considerredesigning some programs for online learning so local
students and teachers can continue to communicate with their STEAM learning
team and receive superlative hands-on activities, should social distancing
measures continue into the summer months.
Due to requests from students andschools, theSTEAM Team will rework the
Leaders program to offer a virtual learning, mentorship and leadership version of
the program to meet the skill and leadership development goals of the in-person
Leaders program. This decision will ensure high school and post secondary
students already registered for spring and summer Leaders program can
successfully complete their placement and/or academic credits while social
distancing.
Despite preparing for an online shift, the goals and outcomes of the programwill
not change; we anticipate providing at least 25-30 young adults from across Elgin
County with the opportunity to satisfy their academic or career placement
requirements. With some modification to methods of delivery and engagement,
students will gainexperience using innovative tools and technologies such as 3D
design software, 3D printers, coding programs, computational thinking activities,
10
etc. Whether virtual or in-person, students will access support and mentorship
from the STEAM Team and industryexperts who can inform their learning and
development. Leaders program participants can also count on unique leadership
opportunities to support thousands of elementary students in innovating hands-
on science, technology, engineering, art and math activities connected to the
Ontario Curriculum.
STEAM Centre's application for funding consideration in the amount of $12,000
is still requested. The timeline of new in-person and online program design has
moved up to an earliest possible date. Program delivery timeline, however, has
not changed as we are still supporting Leaders program participants at this time.
As stated in my initial appeal, all funding will support program design and delivery
activities, to advertise the program to area schools and students, and to offer a
technology and materials bursary to all Leaders participants.
Thanks again, Alan. If you have any other questions about our request
forrenewed support, please contact me at your convenience. “
6.Wallacetown Agricultural Society
Original grant request: $10000; allocated $7000
Funding of$10,000 is still requested, but are open to a lesser amount as stated
in an email by Kim Carder, Secretary:
“Currently we are hoping the fair will still go on. We are in limbo as to a timeline
but since our dates are October 2 to 4, 2020, we do not know what the province
will mandate on crowd sizes, etc.
The impact we have already suffered is huge. We have no bingo funds coming
in, no fundraising money from silent auction, bbq, etc. We will have to take out a
loan to put the fair on this year, lawn maintenance alone is 10,000 dollars and
wondering how we will keep up the grounds.
We also have a 15,000 water issue we have to fix for our new pavilion as lines
are outdated.
Any amount Elgin County can spare will be appreciated. We are wondering how
we will survive.
Thank you, Kim Carder”
7.Municipality of West Elgin – Renaming Committee
Original grant request: $5000; allocated $5000
Event postponed till 2021. Therefore, application withdrawn.
11
Application Status: Pending
1.Aylmer and East Agricultural Society
Original grant request: $7500; allocated $7500
st
The Board is meeting on June 1to determine if Fair will proceed. Carol Watson,
Treasurer/Secretary, indicated that we should be receiving clarification on the
status of the application on June 2nd.
2.Rodney Aldborough-Agricultural Society
Original grant request: $6000; allocated $6000
th
The Board will be having a meeting on May 12to decide if the Fair will proceed.
Janet Johnston, Treasurer, mentionedthat she has concerns as several
fundraising activities are not possible and the municipality will determine a great
deal. Even if they can hold their event, will restrictionsand extra costs for
sanitizer, handwashing stations, extra volunteers make it even worthwhile, she
noted. Janet will be in contact with the outcome of the May 12 meeting.
3.Shedden Agricultural Society
Original grant request: $4500; allocated $4500
May 6, 2020 – Updatefrom Don Millar:
“Shedden Fair is cancelled for 2020 so we won't beneeding the grant money.”
12