In a good-natured coincidence members of Prince Albert Elks Lodge No.58 have their backs turned to the tax kiosk at city hall. They made their pitch to city council Monday. From left, Harry Wutzke, Don Bernier, Grant Ursaki, Ludwig Hesp and Wendy Demerais.(Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

targeted fundraising

Elks Lodge proposes donation deal with city

May 28, 2019 | 3:00 PM

A Prince Albert service club with an impressive track record of generating funds, is making a proposal to the city to ensure money can be earmarked for a specific project. Improvements and programming at the Cooke Municipal Golf Club would be the likely target.

The Elks Lodge would donate $25,000 a year for five years for a total of $125,000, with the option to renew for another five years. In return, the Elks want their property taxes of around the same annual amount to be waived.

Speaking to paNOW after making their request to city council Monday, Secretary-Treasurer Grant Ursaki said the aim was to ensure funding could be targeted long-term to a specific project and that the Elks received some high visibility recognition.

“Taxes that get put into the pool [of general revenue] can get lost and one of the things that every organization like ours needs is the public recognition so we can keep getting the support to get behind all the other things we do,” Ursaki said.

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The idea is for a plaque to go up at the golf club to acknowledge the project which would likely involve some improvements to the course facilities and ongoing support for the junior program, although precise details would still need to be ironed out.

“If we can get our name on a project then it raises our profile in the community and it’s then easier for us to get funds coming in so we can donate to things like the Victoria Hospital Fund, the dialysis fund, mental health, Pineview seniors home, etc.”

He said in the past five years the Elks had donated over $122,000 to local Prince Albert charities. They’ve also teamed up with Sask. District Elks #2 for decades on various initiatives.

City council was largely in support of pondering the proposal although Mayor Greg Dionne pointed out that even if the city were to waive taxes it did not have the authority to do so for the two school divisions portion.

Ward 8 Coun. Ted Zurakowski said it was important the proposal showed it could ”improve the lives of citizens”, while Ward 5 Coun. Dennis Orgodnick applauded the idea saying it was “in line with the city’s Community Services Master Plan, especially the focus on developing junior golf participation.”

There was some caution from Ward 2 Coun.Terra Lennox-Zepp though, who noted the Elks Lodge annual property tax roll is around the $25,500 mark. She wanted to ensure the city did not lose any money on the arrangement.

The matter will come up for a decision at a future council meeting.

glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow