Sudbury city council still split on $50K ward funds, as mayor seeks solution

Sudbury's mayor, Brian Bigger, is working on a new solution for the contentious $50,000 ward funds, but the divisive issue could be forced back on the city council table by the end of the month before his plan is complete.

Ward 5 City councillor Robert Kirwan hopes to ask his colleagues for approval for some $30,000 worth of upgrades at the Ryan Heights playground.

Since that Healthy Community Initiative grant would be more than $5,000, under the new rules the previous council passed in 2012, it requires approval by all of Sudbury city council.

Kirwan said he was surprised the mayor wants to re-open the debate, which Kirwan sees as harmful to the new council's image.

"It's eroding the public confidence in council for no reason at all. I really wish it would go away," said Kirwan.

"There's a risk that we're really going to start splitting this council."

Kirwan said he sees nothing wrong with the current system for the funds and is proceeding with projects in his ward, including a community group that is asking for funds to produce a book on local history.

"I don't have the right to tell her 'No, I don't like your project.'"

While some critics have dismissed the $50,000 each councillor receives as a "slush fund," Kirwan points out that he is only role is facilitating the grants and forwarding on suitable requests to council's executive assistant, who distributes the money.

But while Kirwan is happy the current system for the ward funds, other councillors want to see politicians taken out of the decision-making process and still others want the so-called slush funds trashed altogether.

Ward 7 councillor Mike Jakubo is happy the mayor is taking action, after council failed to pick an option in April, leaving the city with the current healthy community fund structure, which no one actually voted for.

"Not satisfied with the no decision," said Jakubo. "And I'm not satisfied with things staying status quo."

Jakubo wants to keep the funds, but not in the hands of councillors. He said he has starting looking into a system where citizens vote on who gets the money, sometimes called participatory budgeting, and hopes that's part of the mayor's upcoming proposal.

Jakubo also wants some assurance that every community in each ward, which in his case includes Garson, Capreol, Falconbridge and Skead, gets an equal share of the $50,000 assigned to the ward.

Ward 11 city councillor Lynne Reynolds is also happy the mayor is looking for a new model for the funds.

She has been the most vocal opponent of the funds around the council table and voted to have them abolished.

But after that non-decision, Reynolds was facing the uncomfortable task of distributing her so-called "slush fund."

"You know, I wouldn't want to cheat my ward, but on the other hand, I would have had to make some decisions," she said.