The end is in sight for Prince Edward County council as they work their way through the 2019 budget process.
Council settled in for day three at Shire Hall where they began to figure out what projects to keep included in this year’s budget and which ones can be deferred.
Councillor Jamie Forrester told those in council chambers he believes the time has come for them to make drastic changes in the way they do business as things are snowballing now, referring to the use of reserves to fund this year’s projects and the lack of monies being put back into reserves.
Director of Finance Amanda Carter said all the 2019 projects are being financed through long term borrowing and they are paying $2.3 million annually on their debt.
Projects moving ahead this year that council pulled for discussion were the Millennium Trail Restoration and Rehabilitation, the four tandem axle trucks with winter implements, a service van for the Damage Prevention Technician, four light duty vehicles, the Johnson Street/McDonald Drive lights, the speed hump pilot project on Union Road and another urban location which is still to be determined, and the co-location study.
Council has asked to hear from the library board in regards to the $800,000 addition they are seeking, as councillor Stewart Bailey called it a “nice to have”, but wanted to know if there is a Plan B set just in case.
The Parks and Recreation Master Plan was taken off this year’s to-do list.
Council was looking at a 3.7% net to be raised this year, including the one per cent set aside specifically for the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation capital campaign.
Councillor Brad Nieman said he can’t support that increase for the tax payers as he didn’t think it needed to be raised that much.
He went on to explain that people don’t mind paying taxes when they can see what they are getting.
Nieman followed up by saying he is all for planning for the future and the need for money in reserves but they aren’t getting that.
Councillor Phil St-Jean said he doesn’t want this council to fall victim to circumstance like he did when he previously was a councillor and they had years of low taxes followed by one year that saw a nine per cent increase.
He said they have an obligation to explain the increase and be realistic. He stated people will accept it, begrudgingly, but residents would accept it.
Councillor John Hirsch told council they need to think to the future and lay out plans to make it better.
Forrester says he can explain the 3.7% increase but it doesn’t explain the problems they are still facing as a municipality.
Council and staff will look to finalize their budget numbers tomorrow (Thursday) when they resume at 9:30 a.m. at Shire Hall.
They are looking to set the final numbers for the tax rate, capital levy to address the infrastructure deficit, capital and operational budgets and water and wastewater budgets.
