By KEVIN BERGER, Local Journalism Initiative
City of Martensville councillors voted during their October 7 meeting to approve a new policy that provides “clear and transparent” rationale for approving or denying requests by user groups to utilize local municipal facilities at a reduced cost or for free.
Director of recreation and community services Roxanne Melnyk had first brought the proposed Waiver or Reduction of Rental Fees Policy #120/25 to the July 8 committee of the whole meeting.
It was then brought back a second time to the September 16 council meeting for more feedback from council, and then finally to the October 7 meeting where council approved the final draft.
Melnyk originally reported to council that in 2024, approximately $50,000 in municipal rental fees had been waived for various user groups who wanted access to the city’s facilities.
The purpose of this policy was to “establish a consistent process and procedure” for reviewing requests related to the waiver or reduction of rental fees from these groups.
Though Melnyk wasn’t present on October 7, her report indicated that there is $30,000 allocated in the Council Public Relations operating budget to support the provision of rental space at no cost/a reduced cost to local groups.
All submitted applications for space in local facilities will be first reviewed by administration and then brought to city council every October. Council will then approve or deny applications based on the policy.
Among other things, the policy states that non-profit or volunteer-based organizations will be given priority when considering applications for the waiver/reduction of rental fees.
Applicants must also be secular and non-partisan, and only one application per organization/group will be considered in a calendar year.
Some of the other criteria that will be used to evaluate applications include the financial impact on the city, the number of people served by the request or the benefit to the community, and whether an applicant has an “established history” of service to the community.
Activities that are unlawful, private events like weddings or birthdays, and “discriminatory activities or events” that would incite hatred towards an individual or group are also ineligible.