Budget deliberations underway
Budget deliberations started Monday night and things got heated at points during both delegations and deliberations.
Deliberations on the 2025 operating and capital budgets were ongoing as this issue of the River Town Times went to press early Tuesday afternoon but at the end of the first day of discussions, the 5.3 per cent tax increased had been slightly reduced. Further information on the final budget will be next week but also on www.rivertowntimes.com.
Mayor Michael Prue said at the start of the five-hour meeting Monday night that “budget deliberations are very difficult” as council decides who gets what and who doesn’t get anything. He urged residents to “be calm and patient until we get to the end of it.”
“In the end, we will do our best to produce the most balanced budget we can,” Prue stated.
Prior to the formal start of deliberations, town council heard from six delegations, some with specific requests and others with thoughts on the budget overall.
First up was Eric Favot and James Braakman from the Windsor-Essex Bike Community (WEBC), the former being a former professional BMX rider. They were there to advocate for the proposed pump track, a $500,000 estimated expenditure that was part of the capital budget. That was not debated during the first night.
Favot said it was a “safe, closed loop track” with rolls and berms and outlined Ontario communities they are being constructed in.
“Pump tracks are being built all over North America,” he said, noting bicycles, rollerblades and skateboards can use it.
“It’s a versatile venue,” he said.
Calling it “incredibly positive for the community,” Favot predicted it could attract visitors to Amherstburg. WEBC has constructed nearby bicycle trails and Favot said the pump track would complement it.
Braakman added the idea of a pump track existed before WEBC, and that young riders and user groups need to be represented.
“Don’t lump the Libro Centre trails and the pump track as one thing,” Braakman told town council.
Councillor Don McArthur said he was part of a group that toured a pump track in Windsor a few years ago, and said it is also for smaller children as well as older youth.
The ongoing mosquito control program in the Fraserville section of town was addressed by resident Brenda Kokko Pare. Pare advocated for keeping the program as is, and not go along with an administrative suggestion to charge 145 property owners in the area a $325 fee.
Pare outlined she first called for a mosquito control program in 2013 and it was instituted in 2015. She said mosquitoes had a significant negative impact on the area as residents couldn’t use their own properties from April-October and nearby Stella Maris Catholic Elementary School had “mosquito days” where students had to stay inside at recess.
Residents’ quality of life mentally, physically and economically suffered, Pare noted, as house values dropped due to no one willingly wanting to live there due to the mosquito problem.
In recent years, the problem has subsided due to the mosquito control program but she said residents in the Fraserville area were offended by a proposed $325 cost. She said the mosquitoes impact more than the general area, adding the “absurd” cost was something that “does not sit well with me or my neighbours.”
Prue said administration did not recommend going forward with the $325 charge with Pare said she wanted to make sure council knew they wanted the program to be left alone and not be subject to a special charge to the area’s property owners.
“You pay your taxes,” said Councillor Diane Pouget. “We should be providing a safe environment.”
Bill Petruniak called for improvements to how the town operates. He said he was there to “poke the bear” and indicated that if council or administration were uncomfortable with his presentation, “tough.”
“I don’t like the way Amherstburg is being run,” he said. “I’m not the only taxpayer that feels this way.” According to Petruniak, Amherstburg has the highest per capita debt in Essex County. Residential taxes are the highest in the county due to the highest mill rate.
“Stop spending money we don’t have!” he said. “Get your priorities straight.”
Petruniak called for administration to “stop making excuses” and improve accounting procedures.
“Year-end must be done within six months,” he said. “Quarterly accounting must be done within two months. The FIR must be completed and in the hands of the province by May 31 of the year. No excuses! If you want provincial grants, be the first in line with all the financials in order and set an example for the rest of the province.”
The first job of council is to pay down debt and the second is to stop making more debt. He said the town needs to maintain and improve its infrastructure.
“The longer you wait to repair it, the more it costs in the end,” he said. “If you want to improve and expand our parks, start saving, have town fundraisers.
First you get the money, then you spend it. Not the other way around.”
Citing a report about a swimming pool, Petruniak said an outdoor pool “is a waste of money” as it could only be used for four months. By saving money and applying for grants, the town could eventually have the cash for an indoor pool that could be used year-round.
Petruniak also thanked audit and finance member John Purdie, the latter who was not in attendance. Petruniak told town council that during the Dec. 2 audit and finance committee meeting that Purdie proposed over $700,000 in budget cuts but the rest of the committee only voted for $70,000 in suggested cuts.
“When the majority of the members of a committee are this poorly prepared, it showcases bad leadership,” Petruniak stated.
The audit and finance committee and the motions made by Purdie were addressed later in the meeting, with Councillor Peter Courtney saying it appeared by the minutes that “he was the only one making motions.” Pouget said she was “outraged” while watching the meeting, stating Purdie “did a fabulous job” and he was “shot down every step of the way.”
Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said council can still make those motions, stating “we’re the seven that have to make the final decisions.” Councillor Linden Crain, the committee chair, said they had good discussions at the committee level and “the committee did a great job.” He said if people wanted to be on the committee, they should have applied at the start of the term.
“If one member brings ideas forward, it doesn’t mean the others were ineffective,” said Crain.
Petruniak also wanted answers on how many people are on the town’s payroll and how much the town is owed in back taxes, information he said he couldn’t get at the budget open house. He called for a hiring freeze and wanted council to “redirect Amherstburg to a more prosperous, debt-free future.”
Courtney said they lost a lot of amenities because of the construction of North Star High School and want to bring some of those back. He said the per capita debt is high because of an aging water plant, adding there are also 31 bridges and 79 culverts the town is looking after with not as much funding flowing from upper levels of government.
“At some point you have to draw the line,” countered Petruniak. “You have to do it. Please.”
Frank Cerasa said inflation is not the biggest issue, overspending is. He also suggested a hiring freeze “until we have a balanced budget.”
“Town managers will have to do more with less,” said Cerasa. “We need to balance our books.”
Cerasa noted previous tax increases and questioned “how much is too much? Why are you asking for more?”
“The level of service can only be sustained through economic growth,” he told council members.
Cerasa believed Amherstburg has lost its competitive advantage.
“In business, this means a lot.”
Extending water and sanitary sewer services to areas of McGregor and the Howard Industrial Park would be keys to helping ease the town’s issues.
“We need to do better,” said Cerasa, who called for town council to better direct administration.
“Our mill rate is the high because we’re paying off debt,” Prue told Cerasa. “Is paying off $2 million in debt not responsible?”
Gordon Moore addressed several financial issues, including the timing of financial documentation. He suggested a $3.8 million surplus be used to lower the tax rate.
Moore said he feels strongly that a schedule of reserves be made available to council before deliberations started. While capital quarterly reports were “excellent,” Moore said more needs to be done for better timing on the operational side.
“People are struggling to make ends meet,” said Moore.
Another hefty tax increase is something the town should take a close look at reducing, he added.
Rick Renaud, a Texas Road resident, asked that more could be done to tar and chip sections of that rural road. He noted a previous request from Bryerswood Youth Camp, noting that group is doing a great job revitalizing the camp.
“Tar and chip is better than mud,” said Renaud. “I’m on the road every day and I wash my vehicle every day.”
Courtney indicated they would consider the issue as deliberations went on to see what the best “bang for our buck” would be.
Community grants
Town council has agreed to distribute $60,000 to community groups within Amherstburg. Some got what they wanted, some face reductions, but the $60,000 matches what was given out in the 2024 budget. There were $72,477.60 requested this year, but some groups were rejected in addition to some being reduced.
Amherstburg Community Services (ACS) and the Amherstburg Food and Fellowship Mission received $15,000 each while the Amherstburg Freedom Museum received $8,500. The Amherstburg Historic Sites Association (AHSA), the board that operates the Park House Museum, will get $10,000 while WEBC will receive $2,500. The mission had requested $20,000 and the AHSA asked for $15,000.
An affordable housing grant of $8,453 is also factored in, but that is a contractual obligation. Christ Anglican Church will receive $547 for cemetery maintenance.
The Amherstburg Columbus Community Hall asked for $10,477.60 and Rose City Gymnastics requested the waiving of about $18,000 in fees as that group is hosting men’s and women’s provincial championships t the Libro Centre in April 2024.
Councillor Molly Allaire said she was confident that the mission wouldn’t feel the negative impacts, noting she has organized races where a portion of the proceeds went to that group. She wanted to give $2,500 to WEBC for what they do in the community, a feeling echoed by McArthur.
There was already $60,000 being built into the budget with the original $72,000 being requested meaning that $12,000 more would have had to be found. McArthur had made a motion to approve the $72,477.60 in requests but that failed due to a lack of seconder.
“I’m not a big fan of the town donating money,” said Gibb, but said he would support the $60,000 motion. “It’s going to be a tough budget. Every $12,000 counts.”
Pouget, Courtney and Prue noted that WEBC had previously stated they did not want tax dollars, with their $2,500 being requested to help with insurance costs. Courtney offered his own suggestion for donations, with that totalling $55,703.
Crain requested a report for next year with suggestions on how to streamline matters and outline the future of the program, with his motion passing.
Part-time wages
Town council approved, via 4-3 vote, to spend an additional $16,740 to increase part-time student position wages. That would translate into a 75 cent per hour increase across the wage structure. Courtney supported striking that from the budget, stating work would still get done, but Gibb said he wanted to see competitive wages for students so they don’t leave for other jobs. McArthur stated he wanted to keep Amherstburg youth working in their hometown, adding he didn’t want to see the director have to worry about staffing part-time positions thus taking away from “big picture” items.
“We need to pay a living wage. We can’t expect everyone to work for minimum wage,” said Prue. “It’s not fair.”
Prue cast the tie-breaking vote.
Part-time to full-time
Town council agreed to keep an additional $38,320.44 in the 2025 budget to make a human resources administrative co-ordinator position full-time. The position had been part-time. Allaire made a motion to strike it from the budget with Courtney stating while he sees the rationale, the reasons are changing for why additional bodies are needed in that department.
Gibb said he opposed the motion to strike the item, stating the staff is “one of the most valuable things we have.” People say the town needs to be run like a business, with Gibb adding that many businesses invest heavily into human resources. Crain said he saw value in the position while McArthur stating institutional knowledge and training time would be lost if the staff member left.
Prue said he took exception to a line in the issue paper that the staff member could look for other work if the upgrade to full-time wasn’t approved, believing it came off as a “threat.” CAO Valerie Critchley said that wasn’t the intent, but noted it is tough to recruit for that position as part-time. Prue again cast the tie-breaking vote, noting he was convinced by McArthur’s argument.
Libro Centre holiday closures
Town council voted to have the Libro Centre close on all holidays, with that savings estimated at $21,600 not counting utility and janitorial product savings. Senior management had recommended not doing that, but Allaire said savings could be realized and staff could spend time with family. While there were limited rentals on holidays – 6.5 hours on Easter Monday as one example – council opted to try it for one year to see what public feedback would be.
“Maybe it’s worth a try to see how many complaints we get,” said Courtney.
“I’m ready to give this a shot for a year. It doesn’t have to be permanent,” said Gibb. Prue said he couldn’t figure out why the senior management team said no, stating staff should be treated equally and that those at town hall already get holidays off.
“I don’t think we’ll get too many complaints on this,” the mayor said.
No to a pool for now
Town council received a report on the possibility of an outdoor pool, but it will go no further at this time.
McArthur called the estimate of a $3-5 million cost for an outdoor pool “very scary” but wanted to know what an indoor pool could cost. Director of parks, facilities and recreation Heidi Baillargeon said an indoor facility and associated amenitites in Lakeshore cost $11 million in 2016 and that costs could be over $20 million for an indoor pool now. That does not include ongoing maintenance and lifeguards along with other costs.
“The costs are definitely high,” said Crain. “That’s not a price tag I’m willing to swallow.”
Prue said he still would like to see a pool in Amherstburg as other municipalities have one, but they can’t afford it this year. He suggested a public-private partnership and noted such an arrangement as what happened in the past when the Lions Club helped fund the now-former Lions Pool.
Budget deliberations underway
By Ron Giofu
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