Council in Prince Edward County knows they can’t have another eight per cent tax increase next year.
Council decided at their Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday afternoon they would take a good hard look at finding budget efficiencies, with the goal of reducing operating expenditures by 10%.
The motion was brought forward by Councillor Andreas Bolik who told those around the horseshoe they need to look at changing the paradigm and shaking things up because they’ve already been told by the provincial government cuts are coming.
Mayor Steve Ferguson says this is a very worthwhile endeavour and a long overdue process.
He told Quinte News he is a little concerned they may reach that 10% goal, but the exercise to examine the way the municipality does business could be a game changer.
Acting CAO Robert McAuley had some concerns with the proposed timeline provided.
Councillor Bolik asked for a detailed report by the end of October.
He said this is an exercise in must do, should do and nice to do but another year of tax increases won’t fly and they know they are going to have to find money as cuts are coming.
Councillor Bill Roberts stated they shouldn’t look at this as a goal of cutting $4 million, but as an exercise in arming and equipping themselves to figure out what is and is not possible, why and the consequences.
In the end, council agreed on the first of potentially many reports being brought forward by the end of October, with the 2020 budget coming by the end of February 2020.
Council approved a 2019 municipal operating budget of $54.4 million and a capital budget of $13.9 million.
Council also passed a motion brought forward by Acting CAO McAuley to create a Reserve for Modernization specifically for $700,000 in provincial funding aimed to help the municipality develop and implement business modernization practices.
One of those business modernization practices and efficiencies was on display as councillors viewed the agenda via iPads in an effort to reduce the amount of paper council uses.
Mayor Ferguson says this funding could allow for the digital and electronic use of technology for rural and northern communities in the County that would mean residents no longer have to travel into Picton to access services, such as the purchase of a permit.
He says these are big ticket items, like upgrading software that allows residents to access services which the County has always wanted to undertake but the funding was always lacking.
McAuley says the County will not be going completely in a digital direction as there are some residents who prefer the status quo.
Ferguson says they will have an obligation to report back to the province how the funds were used.
