The Post, a popular local thrift store downtown operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association - Alberta Southeast Region, permanently closed its doors Tuesday.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
The Post, a beloved thrift store that served the community and surrounding area for more than 44 years, shut its doors permanently on Tuesday because of debt and a lack of budget planning.
Canadian Mental Health Association – Alberta Southeast Region board chair Carole Hillson told the News the organization did not have enough funds to cover the cost of future operations.
Exact numbers were not provided to the News, however board officials say around 20 people were laid off.
“It’s not fair to them that this is what has happened. And and I just, I feel for them,” says Hillson.
Hillson is the longest serving member on the CMHA-ASER board, serving for more than a year and a half.
“I only stepped up when I could see that the ship was sinking and needed somebody,” says Hillson.
Hillson explains the board has seen a decline in membership in recent years and most members only have around one year experience.
She admits board members lacked budget organization and miscalculated the amount of support they would receive from donors, fundraisers and its provincial body.
“We were incorrect in our understanding of what they were capable of assisting with,” says Hillson. “I don’t know why we had the impression that they were going to be more hands on, as far as helping us, through these situations.”
The board admits they mishandled planning the budget that includes several funding restrictions for specific programs offered.
Hillson noticed ‘red flags’ in August when the Community Assisted Response (CARe) team closed down after unsuccessfully lobbying the government and city for bridge funding.
“It was in that time that it started to be clear that there was going to be problems ahead.” says Hillson. “And unfortunately, that kind of problem can go on and not be very clearly noticed if budgets are not up to date, or the amount of programs going on is simply so vast.”
The funding the board had at this point was already allocated to programming and future funding was no longer in place to pay wages and support ongoing programming.
Ultimately the board ran out of money and was unable to fulfil its contractual agreements.
However, those programs support several residents living with mental illnesses and their families members.
Linda Ruetz is “shocked” by the news of the thrift store’s sudden shutdown. Ruetz attends a support group run by CMHA that provides support to family members taking care of loved ones living with mental illness.
“We met once a week and it was just wonderful. My friends and I both have similar situations going on with our families,” says Ruetz. “There was just all sorts of resources that were provided through other people in the group or by the person that’s facilitated it.”
Ruetz says on Monday, the day before The Post closed, her support group was in the process of planning future meetings.
“It’s very depressing, everybody’s in shock. Nobody knows what’s really going on and nobody will give them answers,” says Ruetz.
CMHA-ASER board officials say current support programs run by the Canadian Mental Health Association will continue until their contract is expired.
However, board officials are still unsure how CMHA will provide support to residents of Medicine Hat in the future.
Hillson says creditors are in the process of making a decision as to what will be done with The Post’s remaining assets and inventory and says they are unsure who the receiver will be.
All employees of The Post received their last paycheque Friday.
