The Athabasca Regional Multiplex Society (ARMS) discussed steps needed to wrangle the society’s deficit during its Dec. 18 meeting.
The society approved an interim operating budget set at 50 per cent of last year’s budget during the meeting. But with the deficit of the 2018 ARMS draft budget set at $1,238,500, society director and Town of Athabasca Coun. Tannia Cherniwchan said the figure needed to be addressed.
“It’s something very concerning,” she said. “Can we honestly sit back and let it snowball into bigger things every year?”
The society’s deficit in 2017 was its lowest ever at $971,409, according to Multiplex general manager Dustin Pysyk. He noted a significant portion of the deficit increase for the 2018 draft budget was in $110,000 set aside for renovations to the Nancy Appleby Theatre.
ARMS chair and Town of Athabasca Coun. Michael Arychuk said the board would need to find savings, but cutting staff is not a solution.
“We know reducing staff isn’t the solution. They’re already taxed,” he said. “But to find other efficiencies to start to bring this to a more reasonable figure is, I think, where we need to focus.”
Society director and Athabasca County Coun. Warren Griffin said the society had to have a serious conversation about the Multiplex’s direction.
“What is the expectation? Right from how clean it is to the programming provided,” he said. “What is the expectation and what are we prepared to pay for?”
Food services are one area in need of fiscal change, said society director and Athabasca County Coun. Travais Johnson. He said food service at the Multiplex should not be running at a deficit as it is.
“You should be able to manage the money and sell a service. That’s unacceptable. I think we need to have a look at that,” he said.
Cherniwchan said she accepts that the budget could be pared down by the board of directors, which was not done at the Dec. 18 meeting. She added there are several pockets of inefficiencies within the budget.
“The sports field area and the food services area and the administration area,” Cherniwchan said.
The committee voted unanimously to schedule a special meeting Feb. 2 for budget and strategic planning, starting at 9 a.m.
