The City of Meadow Lake has adopted a new policy that provides the Parks and Recreation with more say in sponsorships. (Elliott Knopp/meadowlakeNOW staff)

By Elliott Knopp

Sponsorship Policy

City of Meadow Lake passes new sponsorship policy

Oct 4, 2021 | 2:47 PM

The City of Meadow Lake has agreed to adopt a new sponsorship policy. The new approach will share responsibilities between the parks and recreation manager, city manager, and city council.

Back in 2020, the City had discussed a sponsorship policy for the parks and recreation department, but the plan required several adjustments. Once the outbreak of COVID-19 occurred, the policy was deprioritized as the City turned its focus to public health and other imperative items.

In the latest city council meeting, Mayor Merlin Seymour said the new policy would provide the parks and recreation department with more control over how sponsorships would be approached.

“This gives autonomy to our recreation manager and our city manager so they don’t have to keep coming to council, depending on the threshold of it,” Seymour said.

The newly implemented policy grants the parks and recreation manager the ability to approve non-title sponsorships with a value of less than $5,000 and make recommendations to council regarding sponsorships while acting as the primary point of contact for sponsorship opportunities.

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The parks and recreation manager will review all sponsorships to clarify the length of the agreement, the value of the contribution, the cost of the sponsored program, and what recognition the City will make available to the sponsor.

Parks and Recreation Manager Regan Beck stated the new procedure provides a more efficient process that will make future sponsorship opportunities easier for all parties involved.

“I think this is very clear and works for all sides,” he said.

“Anytime someone wants to give us money, we don’t want to slow the process down… a process like this where we can define any sort of donation coming our way gives us a lot of opportunities for growth.”

The city manager will provide support to the parks and recreation manager and recommend updates to council regarding the policy. They will also have the ability to approve non-title sponsorships with a value of more than $5,000, but less than $25,000.

The City retains the responsibility of approving the policy, title sponsorship and all sponsorships of a sensitive nature or with a value of more than $25,000.

Beck said having a more clear structure as to how sponsorships will be managed provides a faster process for his department. He added that smaller-scale sponsorships, including free skating or spray park admissions, are typically the type of sponsorships he will be handling.

“All those small ones are the ones that really keep the Parks and Recreation Department moving along,” he said.

“Those allow you to do so much more things, and they have a huge benefit to the Parks and Recreation Department.”

The policy does not apply to the sale of advertising or signage on any city-owned facilities or publications.

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elliott.knopp@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ElliottKnopp