Councillor Doug Graham won’t be able to help out the cash-strapped Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Society.
Graham, who hoped to donate $3,450 to the organization, was held back by other councillors who didn’t want to see their travel fund drained.
This year, the organization received little more than half of what it requested from the city in funding. It also wasn’t eligible for $45,000 in funding from the federal government.
“I don’t want money taken from the councillor initiated travel fund because it may affect my travel,” said Councillor Dave Stockdale.
“This isn’t Councillor Graham’s personal fund … it’s not a private fund you can use to donate to your favourite charity.”
Each councillor is given about $3,500 a year for travel and training purposes. If that money isn’t used, it’s either given to other councillors to travel or absorbed back into the city budget.
Graham argued that because he rarely dips into the travel fund, some of that money should be transferred to the Sourdough Rendezvous.
But the suggestion, although well-intentioned, wasn’t valid, said other councillors.
“It would never occur to me that that money belonged to me even though I didn’t intend to travel anywhere,” said Councillor Betty Irwin.
All councillors except Ranj Pillai voted against Graham’s request.