By Stephen Vance, Staff
It’s only September, but Meaford’s staff and council have the 2016 budget on their minds, and they had their first budget discussion at their September 14 meeting.
“The intention is to have a budget passed in mid-December in an effort to ensure operations and capital projects can be tendered early in the new year to obtain favourable pricing. As well, all by-laws and rates can be set well before the May deadline set by the county, which will allow staff to move into the Audit function in a timely manner,” explained Meaford Treasurer Darcy Chapman. “The recommended first draft of the tax-supported operating budget would be based on an increase of no greater than 2.5 percent.”
Chapman said that one percent of the increase would be dedicated toward roads capital funding, and the remaining 1.5 percent increase would be attributed to the tax-supported operating budget.
While Chapman may have been recommending a 2.5 percent increase, Mayor Barb Clumpus, noting the $233,000 saved from the elimination of the Director of Operations and the Purchasing Agent positions on September 10, combined with the $19,000 in annual savings to come from the LED light conversion approved by council earlier in the day, challenged staff to prepare a budget with a smaller increase.
“I would like to challenge staff. You’ve come in with a 1.5 percent increase suggested for the operating budget, and while that’s admirable, and certainly appreciated, given our past history, and the way that increases that have come forward, I’d like to challenge that to one percent increase in the operating budget to see what that would look like,” suggested Clumpus.
Five members of council supported the suggestion of the mayor, with only Mike Poetker voting against the suggestion.
“I think we’re getting dangerously close to a zero increase situation that got us in trouble years ago,” said Poetker. “One percent is below COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), and I’m worried about that.”
The mayor assured Poetker that she too is against zero increase budgets.
“I really appreciate that Councillor Poetker and I don’t believe in a zero percent increase,” said Clumpus.
A draft budget is expected to be distributed to council on October 2, and will be tabled at the October 13 council meeting. A council Q & A session will be held on October 26, followed by two public engagement sessions (November 9 at the council chambers, and November 16 at the Annan Trinity United Church), as well as a mandatory public meeting prior to council voting on the 2016 budget. The public meeting will be held at Bognor Hall on December 7, and council plans to approve a budget for 2016 at their December 14 council meeting.
