Photo: Colin Dacre

Penticton Rotary says it feels “let down” by the city after having its in-kind grant request for Ribfest rejected.

Ribfest event co-chair Barb Hoolaeff was before council Tuesday to ask they reconsider the rejection of a $5,000 break on park rental at Okanagan Lake Park for this year’s event.

Rotary had received $5,000 worth of in-kind support from the city in 2018, she said, explaining the group expected the wording of the “sustainable five-year grant” ensured it would be locked in for five years.

“Never did we ever think the city would renege on a promise of a sustainable grant from the previous council,” Hoolaeff said. “We would respectfully request that the current council honour the last council’s promise.”

City staff, however, explained that all grant requests are reviewed annually.

City controller Angela Campbell said the Rotary Ribfest was projecting a $43,000 surplus in 2019 with proceeds expected to go towards the YES Youth Centre, a project the city has already supported directly. Combined with a $55,000 surplus last year and a spike in other grant requests coming to the city this year, city staff recommended Ribfest be denied. Council followed that recommendation during budget talks earlier this year.

“I think perhaps the Rotary is victim to their own success, because the city grants money to people who need it,” said Coun. Katie Robinson.

Coun. Campbell Watt was on the same page, “I don’t believe that we should be using other organizations to be a flow through for city money.”

Hoolaeff tried to make the case Rotary is different, given the bulk of their donations and projects end up improving city infrastructure like parks. She noted future projects include a splash park at Skaha Lake Park and investments at the SS Sicamous.

“Those are all things that are going to improve city property,” she said. “It's a very good return on investment for the city.”

“We are a different animal than other organizations because we are improving city properties,” she added. “We’ve always considered the City of Penticton to be one of our closest allies to get things done in the city and we really feel like we’ve been let down.”

Coun. Julius Bloomfield said he’s received complaints from the city’s restaurants, that say they are negatively impacted by Ribfest, and questioned using tax dollars to support such an event.

A vote to grant Rotary Ribfest $5,000 worth of in-kind support failed 3-4, with Mayor Vassilaki and Couns. Kimberley and Sentes in support.

City staff committed to reviewing the grant application process in an effort to ensure applicants are not under the assumption that multi-year grants are guaranteed.