FALL RIVER: After some online concerns were posted about Councillor Steve Streatch’s use of money from his district account, he reached out to The Laker News to set the record straight.
The issue comes from word that Streatch paid almost $8,500 for all the caps and gowns for students from LHS who were graduating after COVID19 delays would have resulted in none of the grads getting them for graduation. Local realtor Jeremy Cowan also pitched in on this support.
Streatch also paid for the banner as you enter Middle Musquodoboit by the square, and the individual signs with each grads face and name. Streatch partnered with Atlantic Gold for that purchase.
But it was his purchase of the caps and gowns for Lockview that seemingly has received the most scrutiny online.
“I was contacted by the parent group and the SAC indicating the caps and gowns for LHS grads had not been ordered,” said Streatch. “They were told it was too late and the students would have to go without.
“I felt as councillor that was not only wrong, but also as a father who has had five children that went through the graduation process.”
Streatch said he knew he wanted to help in whatever way he could.
“I offered assistance and was pleased that I was able to do so,” he said.
Questions arose from where the money he used came from. Streatch explained that, noting he had requests from MRHS as well for funding support.
“Every member of HRM council has discretionary funds, and I’m no different,” said Streatch. “I was fortunate enough to have funds leftover from 2019-2020 budget. They both asked for different things, and at my discretion and within the rules I responded and contributed through my councillors funds to buy caps and gowns for LHS. We also bought a giant banner and pole-mounted signage for MRHS.
“I believe, quite frankly, that this was returning some of the taxpayer’s money from those communities. This was not money that belonged to somebody else. This is money what was paid by their parents, the residents of my district.”
