April Meeks of Shoeless Joe’s Sports Bar at Belleville city council, September 11, 2017 (Photo: Mary Thomas/Quinte News)
Belleville city council held a lengthy debate Monday night on whether or not it should give a grant to a charity event being held on private property.
The event is the upcoming Charity Ball Hockey tournament being held by Shoeless Joe’s Sports Grill.
Spokesperson April Meeks told council the Belleville Minor Hockey Association would be hosting 20 to 30 teams and the Belleville Senators are involved.
The city’s grant committee had refused the request for a long list of items including fencing, benches, other equipment and promotion, since it goes against the committees’ rules and there was no insurance certificate.
Vice Chair of the committee Councillor Paul Carr said the committee was following the rules. He said it would be asking the city to put staff and resources on private property where there would be liability, things could break or not function.
Carr said if council wanted to change the rules “give us our marching orders and we’ll march.”
Councillor Jackie Denyes, a committee member, indicated if council wants to oversee every application then it should disband the grant committee.
A bid by Councillor Egerton Boyce to make some changes and approve the grant failed on a recorded vote, and council refused the grant.
Meeks had indicated the event will go ahead without the city assistance.
