How the Great Northern Ski Society (GNSS) will respond to city council's unanimous decision to reject its proposed business plan for Mount Sima won't be known until at least Wednesday afternoon.

In a brief interview this morning, society secretary Lee Vincent said the board has a meeting scheduled for noon Wednesday. Members will discuss last night's vote and may have a better sense of how it will proceed.

As she noted, the board needs "time to regroup” after council's decision.

Tomorrow's session, she said, will be a formal board meeting and not open to the public.

The GNSS, which runs Mount Sima, had come forward with the most recent business plan earlier this month, stating it needed an answer from the city on funding by last Friday.

The most recent ask from the board was for $610,000, along with annual funding of about $268,000.

It initially told council that if the funding wasn't available, it would have to look at dissolving the board, essentially leading to the hill's shutdown.

That came after Sima made an initial request of $400,000 in immediate funding and also asked that a long-term core funding of $400,000 annually.

Council didn't provide the funding, but opted to be part of the closed-door Sima Summit sessions coming out of that looking at potential plans to help the beleaguered facility.

The society then came forward with its newest plan, asking for funding once again from the city.

Prior to last night's vote, council members said they recognized the value Mount Sima offers the community.

However, they took issue with the business plan proposed. They argued the solution to Sima's woes needs to be addressed by the entire community, not just through city funds.

Coun. Betty Irwin went on to criticize the board. She argued that while the hill is a community asset, what's debatable are the effectiveness and performance of the ski society board of directors.

She argued the actions of the directors have resulted in the situation the society is in now.

Others were looking for specific actions in the plan that could help the hill continue to operate.

Coun. Mike Gladish said that with no downsizing proposed, he couldn't support the plan.

Meanwhile, Coun. Kirk Cameron noted that it's only been within the last week or so that the city has been hearing that the community is now very interested.

The whole situation "puts us in a really tough position,” he said.

Stating her agreement with Cameron, Coun. Jocelyn Curteanu added that had more of the community had the opportunity to speak up at the Sima Summit events that were closed to the general public, they might not be where they are now.

To the GNSS, she said: "Have faith in your community.”

Mayor Dan Curtis then encouraged the society to have faith in the city as well.

He emphasized that no one on council wants to see a ski hill shutdown, but rather would like a solution from within the overall community.

Earlier in the meeting, the mayor also took issue with a campaign that made the rounds on social media and other sources arguing that "Whitehorse city council is voting to close Mt. Sima this week! Remind them that your community includes Mt. Sima.”

It then goes on to encourage residents to share a picture of Sima which includes the text "My community includes Mt. Sima” and email or call city council about the issue.

The mayor addressed Trevor Mead-Robins, who appeared as a delegate early in the session to note the benefits of Sima on members of the paragliding community who use the hill.

Curtis said he was extremely offended by the ad and noted the city is trying to work with the community.

"We just don't have the means,” he said of the funding requested.

It was also stressed a number of times that the city wasn't voting to shut the hill down. It will be up to the board of the GNSS to decide how it wants to proceed after council's vote.

Mead-Robins said he isn't among the users you would expect at Sima. He doesn't ski or snowboard, but when the local paragliding group was able to secure liability insurance there and use the hill, he began paragliding there.

It's probably about the only spot where he can head out over his lunch break and paraglide, being back to his office within 1 1/2 hours.

"There's a cost and value for the community,” he said, noting the paragliders are an added spin-off to the hill's typical user groups.

He also said that as a business owner he'd be willing to put an extra $1,000 to the hill, referring to a delegate who appeared before council prior to his presentation.

Kris Pekarik has two kids who regularly use the hill. Last night, she brought forward her proposed plan entitled "Mt. Sima hot potato ... or core sport and recreation facility”.

It suggests a fund-raising effort that would bring community support up to $100,000 through $1,000 contributions. Pekarik is working with a local business owner and a couple of season pass holders on the effort.

The public campaign for funds, though, would only begin when they see "serious intent” by the city on Sima.

"Not another lost moment,” she said.

Coun. Dave Stockdale voted with the rest of council in defeating the Sima business plan.

He said he did so based on the financial request facing the city.

He added he has no doubt the hill will continue to operate, noting the need for a public meeting where residents can look at the facts and figures.

At that meeting, ideas may come forward to deal with the Sima situation from a community level, he suggested.

This morning, Stockdale recalled his early days as a councillor in 1985. He was part of a 4-3 vote to build the Mt. McIntyre curling rink onto the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club's chalet in an effort to keep the ski club out of the red.

At the time, the ski club argued that another group was needed to bring in enough cash to get it out of debt.

While council turned down Sima's business plan last night, it later voted in favour of paying off the $192,221 debt on the chairlift with a condition (brought forward by Curteanu) that the lift become titled to the city

A number of council members noted that regardless of the hill's future, it would be beneficial to secure it.

The city provided $1.6 million for the $3-million lift when it was purchased as well.

The territorial government had already committed to paying off the debt on the chairlift, provided the hill opens for the 2013/2014 winter season.

This morning, cabinet spokesman Matthew Grant said that should the hill open for the winter season, the government would reimburse the city.

See letter.