Unfortunately, due to work commitments I was unable to watch last night's council meeting to see what, if any, decisions were made with regard to the Ward Funds. The report contained a proposal from administration that the funds be reported semi-annually. At the very least, I hope this proposal was adopted.
Personally I'd like to see this fund disappear. If we are going to keep it, a good time to report it would be quarterly, along with the "Sunshine Bylaw" report on Council meetings. In an election year, the fund should be reported for the entire year just prior to voting day, including any future commitments for fourth quarter funds.
In an effort to see what other municipalities are or are not doing with regards to Ward Funds, I've begun to inquire of Sarnia, London, Kitchener and Guelph to see if they have similar practices.
Specifically, do they:
1. have a program similar to Windsor's?
2. what is the program's spending criteria?
3. is there an application process for these funds?
4. what is the selection process for fund recipients?
4. how and when are these funds reported?
5. does the City have a Charitable Giving policy?
