Lots of carving to do on MH budget
By Chad Ingram
The
first round of 2020 Minden Hills budget discussions was a lengthy one
during a Dec. 12 meeting, and staff will bring back revised and reduced
budget reports at a subsequent meeting.
first round of 2020 Minden Hills budget discussions was a lengthy one
during a Dec. 12 meeting, and staff will bring back revised and reduced
budget reports at a subsequent meeting.
The
budget process in Minden Hills involves department heads bringing their
ideal budgets, essentially wish lists, before council, and then council
making reductions from there through a series of meetings. The tax levy
increase in the first draft budget is 34 per cent over last year, a
figure that will come down drastically through the budgeting process.
budget process in Minden Hills involves department heads bringing their
ideal budgets, essentially wish lists, before council, and then council
making reductions from there through a series of meetings. The tax levy
increase in the first draft budget is 34 per cent over last year, a
figure that will come down drastically through the budgeting process.
“I
don’t think a number can get beyond double digits, I think that’s
totally out of the game,” said Mayor Brent Devolin. “Anyone disagree
with that?”
don’t think a number can get beyond double digits, I think that’s
totally out of the game,” said Mayor Brent Devolin. “Anyone disagree
with that?”
No members of council did.
“I
think that’s as far as we can go without getting shot daily on the
street,” said Devolin, whose ideal target seemed to be around seven per
cent.
think that’s as far as we can go without getting shot daily on the
street,” said Devolin, whose ideal target seemed to be around seven per
cent.
“I would like to be between five and six,” said Councillor Bob Carter.
The
tax levy increase in Minden Hills for 2019 was 6.4 per cent, equating
to a residential tax rate increase of just more than three per cent.
tax levy increase in Minden Hills for 2019 was 6.4 per cent, equating
to a residential tax rate increase of just more than three per cent.
Most
of the township’s 2020 departmental draft budgets included large
increases over 2019, some in the range of 20 per cent, public works at
46 per cent, and the chief building officer’s department at 70 per
cent.
of the township’s 2020 departmental draft budgets included large
increases over 2019, some in the range of 20 per cent, public works at
46 per cent, and the chief building officer’s department at 70 per
cent.
As
a report from CBO Colin McKnight indicated, the increase in his
department is largely because of increased staffing related to the
township’s septic re-inspection program, as well as investigating
regulations on short-term rental accommodations and increased legal
costs. The department’s draft budget for the first round was nearly
$420,000, an increase of some $173,000.
a report from CBO Colin McKnight indicated, the increase in his
department is largely because of increased staffing related to the
township’s septic re-inspection program, as well as investigating
regulations on short-term rental accommodations and increased legal
costs. The department’s draft budget for the first round was nearly
$420,000, an increase of some $173,000.
By
far the largest portion of the budget goes to public works, where the
increase in the draft was 46 per cent over last, or an increase of more
than $2.1 million, from $4.5 million to a draft total of more than $6.6
million. Because of the expense and large number of projects, it’s the
department where council does a great deal of financial trimming during
the budget process.
far the largest portion of the budget goes to public works, where the
increase in the draft was 46 per cent over last, or an increase of more
than $2.1 million, from $4.5 million to a draft total of more than $6.6
million. Because of the expense and large number of projects, it’s the
department where council does a great deal of financial trimming during
the budget process.
Public
works director Travis Wilson cautioned council about the implications
of deferring too many projects for too long. Wilson used the example of
the reconstruction of IGA Road, which has been shovel-ready and on the
books for a number of years now.
“This is a project that we defer,
and we defer,” Wilson said, adding that eventually, the township could
wind up with a lengthy list of items that all need to completed around
the same time.
works director Travis Wilson cautioned council about the implications
of deferring too many projects for too long. Wilson used the example of
the reconstruction of IGA Road, which has been shovel-ready and on the
books for a number of years now.
“This is a project that we defer,
and we defer,” Wilson said, adding that eventually, the township could
wind up with a lengthy list of items that all need to completed around
the same time.
“The list that I have right now becomes twice as long in a couple more years,” Wilson said.
In
the economic development, destination and marketing department, which
includes the operation of the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, there was a
draft budget increase of 22 per cent, or a nearly $123,000 increase over
2019. As economic development, destination and marketing officer Emily
Stonehouse told members of council, a major capital expense will be the
installation of a new HVAC system at the cultural centre, considered
important to adequately preserve its collection of Andre Lapine
paintings. It’s anticipated the system will cost $50,000. The
implementation of a community improvement plan is also planned for the
township in 2020. A community improvement plan allows council, through a
bylaw, to establish a physical area wherein the township can offer
financial incentives to private property owners – both residential and
commercial – for physical improvements to their properties.
the economic development, destination and marketing department, which
includes the operation of the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, there was a
draft budget increase of 22 per cent, or a nearly $123,000 increase over
2019. As economic development, destination and marketing officer Emily
Stonehouse told members of council, a major capital expense will be the
installation of a new HVAC system at the cultural centre, considered
important to adequately preserve its collection of Andre Lapine
paintings. It’s anticipated the system will cost $50,000. The
implementation of a community improvement plan is also planned for the
township in 2020. A community improvement plan allows council, through a
bylaw, to establish a physical area wherein the township can offer
financial incentives to private property owners – both residential and
commercial – for physical improvements to their properties.
Carter
wondered if council was going to make cuts to the department’s draft
budget, “what is it in your total budget that would get impacted first
by that?”
wondered if council was going to make cuts to the department’s draft
budget, “what is it in your total budget that would get impacted first
by that?”
Stonehouse
said that improvements to the building, including the HVAC system,
would take priority, and that there could be some wiggle room on the
community improvement plan.
said that improvements to the building, including the HVAC system,
would take priority, and that there could be some wiggle room on the
community improvement plan.
“And
I’ll be the first to admit we don’t know how successful that will be
within our community at this time,” Stonehouse said, explaining there
has not been overwhelming interest from business owners and residents so
far.
I’ll be the first to admit we don’t know how successful that will be
within our community at this time,” Stonehouse said, explaining there
has not been overwhelming interest from business owners and residents so
far.
In
the community services department, its draft budget contained an
increase of 26 per cent, or a $255,000 increase over last year, for a
draft total of more than $1.2 million.
“The majority ($195,000) of
this increase is associated with the proposed staffing plan to improve
parks and cemetery maintenance as well as the increase in operational
demands with the new larger community/centre arena coming online in June
2020,” read a report from outgoing community services director Mark
Coleman. Coleman is leaving the township, taking a job as community
services director with the Municipality of Brockton, which is scheduled
to begin on Jan. 6.
the community services department, its draft budget contained an
increase of 26 per cent, or a $255,000 increase over last year, for a
draft total of more than $1.2 million.
“The majority ($195,000) of
this increase is associated with the proposed staffing plan to improve
parks and cemetery maintenance as well as the increase in operational
demands with the new larger community/centre arena coming online in June
2020,” read a report from outgoing community services director Mark
Coleman. Coleman is leaving the township, taking a job as community
services director with the Municipality of Brockton, which is scheduled
to begin on Jan. 6.
Carter
asked Coleman if there was something the municipality should be doing
differently when it came to the maintenance of its cemeteries, and
Coleman said that some municipalities wholly contract out the
maintenance of the cemeteries they own.
Councillor Pam Sayne said
council needed to keep many of the township’s already financially
struggling residents in mind when contemplating the level by which taxes
would increase.
asked Coleman if there was something the municipality should be doing
differently when it came to the maintenance of its cemeteries, and
Coleman said that some municipalities wholly contract out the
maintenance of the cemeteries they own.
Councillor Pam Sayne said
council needed to keep many of the township’s already financially
struggling residents in mind when contemplating the level by which taxes
would increase.
“We
have a tax base here of people whose incomes aren’t going to be
increasing and some of them are even going down, compared to what we’re
going up,” Sayne said.
Devolin, who stressed a few times during the
meeting that tax increases, in actual dollar figures, are not usually as
bad as they sound in percentages, suggested that the Eastern Ontario
Wardens’ Caucus again begin advocating with the province to dedicate a
one per cent HST increase to Ontario’s municipalities.
have a tax base here of people whose incomes aren’t going to be
increasing and some of them are even going down, compared to what we’re
going up,” Sayne said.
Devolin, who stressed a few times during the
meeting that tax increases, in actual dollar figures, are not usually as
bad as they sound in percentages, suggested that the Eastern Ontario
Wardens’ Caucus again begin advocating with the province to dedicate a
one per cent HST increase to Ontario’s municipalities.
Deputy
Mayor Lisa Schell said given all the requirements before council, she
didn’t see how an increase of less than five per cent would be
possible.
Mayor Lisa Schell said given all the requirements before council, she
didn’t see how an increase of less than five per cent would be
possible.
“Just
based on the arena, and new staffing that’s required … and other
departments as well, I don’t see how that’s possible unless we start
cutting staff before the building’s even finished,” Schell said. “We’d
all love to go below five, but realistically, I don’t think that’s
possible. I’d love to say zero, but it’s not realistic, if we want to
continue growing.”
based on the arena, and new staffing that’s required … and other
departments as well, I don’t see how that’s possible unless we start
cutting staff before the building’s even finished,” Schell said. “We’d
all love to go below five, but realistically, I don’t think that’s
possible. I’d love to say zero, but it’s not realistic, if we want to
continue growing.”
Ultimately,
council instructed treasurer and chief administrative officer Lorrie
Blanchard to aim in the vicinity of a six per cent increase for the
second round of budget discussions.
