Cuts made by council last week have dropped the expected 2008 budget increase from 4.8% to 4.35%.
But much of the discussion at the council meeting focused on a skid steer purchase proposed by Public Works Director Larry Lynch.
“I think the skid steer will pay for itself in a matter of four years,” Lynch said amidst concerns about the price of the piece of equipment.
Councillor Bruce Whale said $22,000 – the amount in the draft budget – is “not out of line” for the cost of a skid steer. He added that he is in favour of trying the machine for winter snow removal and reviewing the matter in a year or two.
Lynch told council he would like the township to take over sidewalk snow removal to ensure a “consistent level of service can be applied throughout the township.” This past winter, there were three local contractors who took care of snow removal in Drayton, Moorefield, and Alma respectively.
Councillor Jim Curry said when the township took care of snow removal residents seemed happier and the work was completed earlier than was the case with using contractors.
Lynch said there may be more “pride in ownership” if the township clears the sidewalks, the majority of which he believes can be done by 9am.
But councillor Mike Downey was not convinced. He asked why Mapleton was so different from other municipalities that use front-mount blower/mower combination machines, which are more versatile.
Downey noted that Lynch was also proposing to buy a replacement parks and recreation mower at a cost of $13,000 and wondered why the township is buying two pieces of machinery when one blower/mower combo unit would address both needs.
Lynch replied that a top-of- the-line Toro machine used by the township could not make it up the hills in Drayton, and he noted that a skid steer is much more powerful.
Whale said he doesn’t think it is up to councillors to tell staff members which piece(s) of machinery to buy, because staff has the most knowledge about the jobs at hand.
Mayor John Green said councillors and staff can hold discussions about exactly which machines are best for which jobs later. For now, the goal should be agreeing on an amount for the budget, he added.
“I want a number,” Green told council.
Curry suggested $35,000 for both the skid steer and the mower. Craven and Whale agreed, so Green instructed Finance Director Mike Givens to leave that line in the budget unchanged.
Dust suppression
In an effort to trim the budget, Downey suggested cutting the amount allotted for dust suppression from $108,000 to $75,000. He noted that last year the township spent about $60,000 total on material and labour, so $75,000 should be more than enough to cover this year.
Lynch said there are three different types of possible materials so it’s tough to say if that amount would be enough. He said the material doesn’t just suppress the dust – it also plays a key role in holding together gravel roads.
Green said he thinks there was a problem last year with the application itself. After further debate among councillors, Green suggested amending the budget to $80,000.
“We’re setting a budget here. [Actual costs are] either going to be over or under,” he said to councillors, who agreed $80,000 is a suitable amount.
Other changes
Council agreed to reduce the budgeted amount for paving at the Moorefield fire hall from $33,000 to $20,000. As indicated in previous discussions, the thinking on council was that township staff could do some of the preparation work to help save some money.
Clerk Patty Sinnamon noted there would not be any plot sales at the Hollen cemetery this year, which resulted in the removal of $21,000 in revenue from the budget, thus erasing some of the progress council had made with budget cuts.
The overall effect of the changes made last week is that this year’s proposed budget will be up 4.35% from 2007.
Givens said he will be bringing forward the revised budget for final approval at council’s meeting on May 13.
