ERIN – Before the official 2025 budget is confirmed, the town has released a municipal budget survey to gain input from residents.
Town treasurer Wendy Parr presented the proposed 2025 budget guidelines to council on Sept. 26.
The guidelines list numerous principles relating to the budget process such as, “communicate with residents through the 2025 budget survey” and “incorporate feedback” from the survey.
The survey consists of 14 questions and is said to take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Some of the questions hit on the topics of property taxes and whether they are too high or too low. Others ask residents to list the most important services provided by the town.
All the data is collected through an online platform called Social Pinpoint, which is located on the town’s engagement platform, Erin Engaged.
Those interested can find the survey on erinengaged.erin.ca.
“It’s not a website it’s an engagement platform,” town spokesperson Chris Vernon told council.
The survey is open now – until Oct. 25. The month-long open survey allows “public outreach” through different avenues such as the Erin Fall Fair. Copies of the survey can also be found at the Erin Town Hall at 5684 Trafalgar Road, just outside of Hillsburgh.
Town officials say the 2025 proposed budget timeline is as follows:
– release the budget survey on the town’s engagement platform, Sept. 23;
– proposed 2025 budget process and guidelines, Sept. 26;
– budget consultation, “reach out through event venues,” Oct. 11 to 14;
– first draft 2025 budget which “will include budget survey results,” Nov. 28; and
– final budget, Dec. 12.
The Erin Engaged website also offers a section where residents can give “small suggestions” on what they would like to see included/excluded from the budget.
