Arts and Heritage St. Albert voted Thursday night to approve a new five-year stewardship agreement with the City of St. Albert after months of discord and acrimony between the two side.
The sides issued a joint news release Friday announcing the outcome of the vote. The release also announced that Ann Ramsden, director of heritage for Arts and Heritage, has been named acting executive director.
Former executive director Paul Moulton resigned last month to express his displeasure with the agreement proposed by the city.
“It’s great news that the city and the (Arts and Heritage) have agreed on a new vision going forward,” said city manager Patrick Draper, who was responsible for negotiating the agreement.
The new agreement will take effect on April 1. The old agreement, set to expire Jan. 14, will govern matters between the two sides until the end of March.
Draper said one change in the new deal is appointing a steering committee, made up of three staff members from both the city and Arts and Heritage, to improve the working relationship between two sides. Other changes include requiring more detailed business plans from Arts and Heritage, as well as avoiding any duplication of arts services between both sides.
The “fee-for-service” model, which would require Arts and Heritage to submit invoices in order to receive funds, instead of the grant process used previously, was also approved. The model drew sharp criticism from both Moulton and members of the board.
The vote comes four days after council unanimously approved an ultimatum to the Arts and Heritage board, saying the city would assume responsibility for its arts and heritage assets if the board did not approve by Jan. 14 the agreement the city put forward.
Negotiations have been up and down since they began in 2011. The dispute has repeatedly spilled out into the public with both sides making their objections known. A renewed sense of hope that emerged in August after council voted to pursue a new agreement has since wasted away as both sides jockey over a funding model.
“I’m glad we’re at a point where we are now moving forward,” Draper said. “My comfort level is significantly higher that we are doing what’s right for the taxpayers and that their money is being invested wisely.”
