The 2021 Timmins budget has been given the green light.
Tuesday, council approved a $43.83 million net expenditure, which is $629,566 (1.46 per cent) increase over last year. That increase does not include budget increases from the agencies, boards and commissions (ABCs) that were also approved last night.
The 2021 water and sewer rate hike was approved earlier this year and will see the average rate (based on a five-room house) increase $50 — $21 for water and $29 for sewer.
Coun. Joe Campbell was frustrated with the budget process.
The draft document was presented to council in December. A follow-up meeting last week presented changes to the operational side and introduced the budgets for the agencies, boards and commissions.
“With all due respect, the process for doing the budget over the last two years in comparison to how Mr. Howie did it, these things were presented at an earlier stage in the budgeting process and we didn’t have just two budget meetings, we had five, six, seven, eight, as many as we required for council to be fully up-to-date, fully conversed, fully confident to know what they were voting for. The process this year has not allowed that,” said Campbell.
Council requests for projects to add to the budget were tabled and not approved at last night's meeting. By voting on all of the items at once, he said people may have voted against an item they are in favour of.
“I want the residents of this community to see how this was handled tonight because this is not the way you do a budget. These should have been called at a budget meeting, voted on individually where comments could be made,” he said.
After the vote, Mayor George Pirie said council passed a "very good" budget and addressed Campbell's comments.
“What’s completely uncalled for is any insinuation or cast aspersions on administration or our treasurer and that’s uncalled for and there will be no further comments on that,” Pirie said.
Coun. Kristin Murray also noted she's been consistent with her comments on items.
“I don’t appreciate being shamed to make it sound as though we don’t care for the residents. I think a lot of people made it very clear that they want a reduction in taxes and that by not adding to the budget, I’m being mindful of that,” she said, noting there are strategic ways to achieve some of the suggested items.
The major capital purchases with a cost of more than $100,000 included in the 2021 budget are:
- $200,000 for the replacement of flashing at the engineering and human resources building
- $350,000 for IT storage environment
- $200,000 for boiler redesign and replacement at city hall
- $100,000 for storm sewer camera inspections
- $100,000 for landfill improvements
- $200,000 for bus wash refurbishment, which is offset by funding
- $635,000 for a conventional bus, which is offset by funding
- $500,000 upgrade to the transit farebox system, which is offset by funding
- $650,000 for transit terminal design and construction, which is offset by funding
- $400,000 for the Whitewater park splashpad in South Porcupine
- $250,000 for an outdoor multi-use pad at Roy Nicholson Park
- $110,000 for multicourt resurface at the park on Spillenaar
- $250,000 for multicourt resurface at the park on Bannerman
- $160,000 for Gillies Lake bathroom
- $137,000 for accessible playground equipment at the Lonergan park
- $1.3 million for McIntyre headframe repairs, which is partially offset with funding
- $100,000 for asbestos remediation
- $210,000 for siding, ceiling review and repair at the HR Bielek building
- $120,000 for siding at the McIntyre
- $100,000 for a pool building structure study. This to look at mechanical things in the pool area, and a dehumidifier system, explained deputy director of finance Greg Paquette. The city also wants to get a consultant to look at how to redesign spaces to better purpose the changerooms, including family changeroom.
- $100,000 for shower renovations at the McIntyre
- $4.6 million for the Connecting Link, with a funding budget of $3 million
- $200,000 for roads surface treatment
- $900,00 for roads grind and pave
- 100,000 for street lights
- $170,000 for roads vehicle replacement
- $500,000 for Langmuir culvert
- $200,000 for Moose Creek bridge design
- $250,000 for Bruce Avenue bridge design
- $275,000 transfer to future infrastructure
- $250,000 transfer to fire reserve
Now that the budget is approved, a tax rate and ratio presentation is expected in early March that will also require council's approval. The goal is to send out tax bills in early May.
