In a 4-1 vote, Erin council has approved the 2016 budget, with councillor Matt Sammut opposed.
Council passed its $13.46-million budget (an increase of two per cent over 2015) at a meeting on March 1. Of that, $9.3 million is for operational costs, and about $4 million for capital projects.
The town is raising $6 million in taxes, which translates into an increase of $7.07 per $100,000 in residential assessment.
Erin council has been discussing the budget since November, including five special meetings and one public meeting.
Sammut raised a few concerns with the budget during the March 1 meeting.
He said he asked for staff to look for five per cent efficiencies, but found that was not the case during budget discussions.
“When I hear through the process that it was directed to departments try to keep it under two percent, zero to two percent, that’s not direction to try and cut or find three per cent efficiencies,” Sammut said.
“I’m not saying it could be found but if you don’t try it definitely won’t be found … That frustrates me.”
Sammut also said he was concerned the town has doubled its debt.
“We’re not improving our reserves and we’re barely improving our capital needs over the next 10 to 20 years, we barely hit them this year… But saying that, we’ve doubled our debt.”
Sammut said the town needs to look at a five-year capital plan in order to move forward.
However, Alls said not being able to address all the capital needs is a problem all municipalities in Wellington County are facing.
Sammut added salaries have increased by about 10 per cent over 2015 – much higher if you take out severances paid.
“We do have a fiduciary responsibility sitting up here to do it right for our taxpayers,” he said. “We’re in financial dangerous straits because it’s going to do nothing but get worse and worse.”
But Alls, who spoke to the Advertiser after the meeting, said Sammut did not take into account the two staff members Erin has hired.
“That is what he has neglected to bring up,” said Alls, noting the town hired an information technology person and an economic development officer.
Highlights
The roads department is getting a $2.4-million capital budget. Major projects include $250,000 for sidewalk construction from Ross Road to Tim Hortons in the village of Erin, $775,000 for rural reconstruction of Sideroad 17, and $700,000 for Erin’s share of the Winston Churchill bridge replacement (shared with Caledon).
Council has set aside $144,000 for capital projects in the general government category, reduced from the initial amount of $197,000. Projects include $2,500 for an entrance sign at the municipal office, and $50,000 for renovations of the office building south of Hillsburgh.
Erin will also spend $400,000 for the water and wastewater environmental assessments.
Staff’s salaries have increased to $4.25 million.
