Addressing residents last Thursday, Wheatley said the most substantial allocation of the districts budget was $49,235, which went towards special educational grants for students studying abroad.

He said $32,574 was disbursed to Ninth District constituents who were in need of assistance because of job loss. That sum was also used to assist persons who needed help in repairing their homes.

The third-largest portion of the 2019 budget for the Nith District amounted to $29,780 and was allocated for sponsorships, Wheatley said. He said constituents would approach him to sponsor pageants or for them to attend various workshops.

In the meantime, $24,950 was spent from the district budget to assist senior citizens; many of whom were not receiving a pension. That allocation was the fourth largest spend, Wheatley said.

Other allocations

Wheatley also said $17,000 was used to support families who lost loved ones. He said the sum was specifically used to assist them in purchasing caskets. Another $18,302.21 went to schools where students of his district attended.

Funds in the sum of $4,500 were channelled towards medical expenses, another $6,000 was spent for what Wheatley described as ‘religious purposes’, while $5,655 was spent on training and education.

Wheatley stated that there was another category within the budget allocations called ‘Other’ where the sum of $14,881.44 was disbursed towards cleaning up of the Sargassum in Handsome Bay and towards events in which young persons stood to benefit, among other things.

Overall, a total of $153,642.65 was spent.

“Every member is given a certain amount of money to spend in their district. These funds are to help persons with various needs, whether medical, financial, it is the public’s money that was given to us to assist you … and to make sure that your life is a little better than when we first came,” Wheatley said.