The Alix Arena Association will get the meeting they want with village council to hammer out who pays for arena maintenance and improvements.
Village council agreed at its Jan. 6 meeting, to meet with the association.
The rental agreement was signed in 1999 and it’s time to look at it, said Coun. Jody Widmann.
The arena association told council in a letter that while making improvements to the arena they discovered more work is needed. But before they proceed they want to meet with council to see which improvements would be the responsibility of the village and which would be the responsibility of the Arena Association.
Village of Alix Mayor Arlene Nelson suggested council schedule a separate meeting to meet with the Arena Association.
“We can go to them instead of them coming here (council chambers),” she said.
Council unanimously agreed to a motion having administration set up a meeting with council and the arena association.
Council denies Medicine River’s request for funding
Medicine River Wildlife Centre (MRWC) asked council to consider help funding their non-profit organization in its next budget.
Carol Kelly, executive director of MRWC, said that in the last year one per cent of the wildlife that MRWC treated were transported from the Village of Alix.
MRWC is a wildlife hospital and education centre located half an hour west of Innisfail and provides a wide range of services.
They started in 1984 helping 14 animals and today they help about 2,000 wild animals a year.
In her letter to council, Kelly said the money would be used to cover the costs of staff, vehicle and other expenses incurred while responding to community calls and programs.
Village of Alix Mayor Arlene Nelson said if Alix was a bigger centre they may be able to help.
“Are we in agreement that we are not in a financial position to support these people,” asked Mayor Nelson during council’s regular meeting Jan. 6.
Council unanimously voted not to offer financial support to MRWC.
No taxpayer money for refugees
Council received, as information, a letter from a resident asking the village to “take one family of refugees in.”
Mayor Arlene Nelson said the village wouldn’t be able to fund a refugee family.
“I don’t think we can put finances towards that,” she said adding that if the individual wants to get together with others privately and sponsor a family they could.
