The meeting commenced with an update by Trisa McConkey, Treasurer regarding the up to date status of the budget. The latest draft shows a requirement for 2% increase to the levy which equates to an increase of $35.25 on the median assessed property in Town valued at $273,750.
Throughout the various discussions, the following changes were made to the budget:
- $20,000 was added to the budget to complete road improvements for Edmund Street to improve access to the Edmund Street Dog Park
- $5,000 was added to the budget to be paid from the Library reserve for the upgrades to the Library’s website
- Add $30,000 from land sale reserve to complete landscaping on Roe Street
- The $10,000 for Lolly’s green space to be paid from Development Charges
- The $120,000 for Town Hall Capital to be paid by $60,000 carried over from 2019 and $60,000 from taxation
- $40,000 is to be added to Carleton Junction with $36,000 to be paid by Development Charges and $4,000 from taxation
- $7,500 for the caboose project for Carleton Junction is to be removed from the budget for 2020 and deferred to a future year
- The hot water boiler ($15,000) and lighting ($25,000) for the pool are to be paid by a grant if possible and if not, from the pool reserves
- $5,000 for the Findlay Cairn to be funded by taxes instead of parkland reserves
- $7,000 for Town Hall Square to be funded by taxes instead of parkland reserves
- $50,000 for the Hot Pool Roof project is to be set aside in reserves for completion in a future year
- Funding is to be added to the budget to allow the Director of Development Services position is to be commenced as soon as possible in 2020 from the proposed June 2020 date
- $12,000 is to be set aside in a reserve for the Central Bridge Communications Plan
Following the public budget meeting on December 17th, 2019, the budget will be posted for public comment over the holidays with the final approval to be considered at the January 14, 2020 Council meeting.