The Town of Strathmore has passed a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Strathmore Handi-Bus Association.

Mayor Pat Fule began the most recent Committee of the Whole meeting by reiterating that the council members understand the importance of the handibus, and ease of transportation within the community.

“This entire council feels very strongly about doing the best thing possible for the seniors in the community and we know that transportation is very important,” he says.

Christi Shworak, resident manager at Wheatland Lodge spoke to the council, she noted that she was asked to speak to the council by many members of the community about the importance of the handibus for people with disabilities and seniors.

They asked the town for continued support of the Strathmore Handi-Bus Association.

“For some of these residents, such as those with disabilities, as well as many seniors within our community, the handibus is their only means of transportation to and from their appointments,” she said.

Shworak noted that there are 47 registered users of the handibus at the lodge and that there is a maximum capacity of 95 residents in Wheatland Lodge.

“It shows you right there the need of that service. Almost half of the residents who live at the lodge at this time are registered to use the handibus,” she said.

She shared the experiences of residents who need cancer treatments or dialysis and that these services are not available in Strathmore. They require the use of the handibus for transportation.

Shworak said there were 197 people in Strathmore that use the handibus. She also spoke of the personal experience for residents who use the handibus, not only do the drivers ensure the safety and comfort of the residents, they also know the users. Council accepted the presentation on the handibus service as information.

Deputy Mayor Jason Montgomery,” The handibus is very near and dear to my heart.”

“Earlier this year we were presented with a budget that was showing that if the town of Strathmore did not contribute anything that the association would be looking at roughly around an $80,000 deficit for the year. At the same time, they were asking for $175,000. If you do the math, that leaves about a $95,000 budget surplus for the year,” he said.

“That gave me some pause and some concerns, knowing that at the same time as they were going to be producing a very sizable surplus they were charging residents sometimes large amounts depending on and especially for the people that are regular users that have to go to Calgary.”

“As President of the association I grew to be very keenly aware of just the situation that some people are in, especially people that are having to spend a lot of money regularly to get to medical appointments,” said Montgomery.

“I broached the idea with Council last term of asking the association to lower their rates and to use some of the surplus to pay to essentially cover the cost of the service for use of our residents,” he said.

“I have become more comfortable with some of the changes I've seen within the handibus service and with some of the comments actually made by association members and even the new president.

From what I'm told the association is very interested in looking at lowering rates for users. And so I am much more comfortable now with the situation, and that's why I can support this MOU as it is now,” said Montgomery.

It was reiterated at the meeting that the handibus is a separate entity from the Town of Strathmore. In 2020, the handibus association board made the decision to no longer use the town to deliver the service for the association. And now the MOU with the association needs to be updated.

The town in the past has provided the association with $175,000 annually since their MOU was signed in 2009.

In terms of the handibus MOU council approved the MOU with the Strathmore Handi-bus Association and directed administration to offset 50 per cent or ($37,348) of the 2020 account receivable of $74,695 funded from Unallocated Surplus.