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Wildcats 'promise to do better' as city gives club funds to keep running

City of Elliot Lake gives hockey club $10,000 in cash, forgives $11,000 in unpaid ice fees
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They came with apologies, explanations and promises to do do better.

Councillor Chris Patrie told a delegation from the city's hockey club, the Elliot Lake Junior A Wildcats at Elliot Lake City Council Monday night, "I applaud you for jumping into this bucket of manure."

They brought no business plan or no commitment to pay back the $50,000 city loan owed by the Junior A Wildcats.

Nonetheless Elliot Lake City Council, minus Councillor Sandy Finamore, (who declared a conflict) voted four to two to give the team an immediate $10,000 in cash plus forgiveness of roughly $11,000 in unpaid ice fees owed the city dating back to 2018.

The Wildcats delegation was led by Board Treasurer Len Kutchaw and President George Thomas. They told council members that when problems cropped at the start of the season due to uncertainties about repair problems at Centennial Arena, many of their expected sponsorships dried up.

That was back in late summer and early fall. Kutchaw said right now it's difficult to ask businesses and other organizations to come up with sponsorship money with the calendar ticking down towards the end of the year.

They also faulted former Coach and General Manager Gord Ouimet for not recruiting enough players this year.

Players pay the team fees of $6,000 each to play which is a big part of their "nut." Last year, three players skipped town without paying, leaving Wildcats $18,000 short. Thomas said they have 17 players signed now. Ouimet is no longer with the club.

Thomas also informed council that without city financial help now, the Wildcats will have no choice but to pull the team out of town after this season.

Kutchaw said by the end of February, he will provide the city with a business plan and up to date financials along with a loan repayment schedule. He's relatively new to the Wildcats and claims he's never been able to find anything written down that would clarify the team's obligations to the city.

He said their expenses will be $20,000 this month, an estimated $12,000 in January and another $15,000 in February.

The Wildcats came to council asking $20,000 immediately in cash plus forgiveness of the club's ice debts (or at least getting the city to reclassify them as city sponsorships).

Council accepted Councillor Luc Cyr's compromise motion for ice debt forgiveness and $10,000 cash. Cyr said the club needs to rely on other income streams besides city hall for financial stability.

Councillor Ed Pearce, a Wildcats director, noted that in addition to low sponsorship support the Wildcats also struggled with high road.expenses this fall. That happened after their league (NOJHL) scheduled most of the early season games out of town in anticipation of problems playing out of Centennial Arena, which was being refurbished at the time.

The team still owes $50,000 to the city for its outstanding loan, along with two other loans, one to ELNOS and another to one of its directors.

Last year, council rejected a request from the Wildcats that the city buy the franchise and take over as team owner.

Councillor Norman Mann was unhappy that nothing has been paid lately towards the city loan. He said the Wildcats need to make at least a nominal payment every year as an act of good faith.

He added it would also have been better if the Wildcats had made their money pitch to the Finance and Administration Committee, instead of coming straight to council.

Patrie said other users of Centennial such as Elliot Lake minor hockey and the Elliot Lake Figure Skating Club have as much right to ask the city for financial help as the Wildcats, but they haven't done it yet.

"You're asking us for $20,000 to help pay your long term debt,” Patrie said. “I can't do that. Minor hockey could use that (ice time). I can't approve $28,000 when you owe the city $65,000."

"And with all due respect, you forgot to mention that we put a million dollars into that arena. So it's not just that we gave money to the ski hill and we gave money to the golf course. We do put money into that arena so that anyone can use it,” he concluded.

Councillor Tom Turner said it will be a big job for Kutchaw to get a business plan together. He recommended council give him until the end of February to come up with one.

Mayor Dan Marchisella said beyond the money concerns, the future of the Wildcats comes down to a community quality of life issue.

"I see a lot more than that. I see community involvement. I see the junior team as being role models for our youth,” the mayor said.

"I look at our budgets over last four years, our golf course. The city has been providing between $60,000 and $120,000 a year for under 200 members. Our city provided $450,000 for a new groomer for the ski hill plus another $100,000 there. Our city provides $25,000 annually to the Renaissance Centre. Why? Again it's quality of life in our community," he concluded.



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About the Author: Brent Sleightholm

As a reporter, Brent has covered everything from amateur and professional sports, to politics, entertainment, police and courts, to human interest stories and government issues
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