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For earlier materials see Table of Contents

The City Budget – a closer look

Better data

While still lacking ‘big picture’ this iteration of 2007 budget has sufficient background info (2006 budgeted and actuals) to be more useful

 

 

Jim Bruce kindly gave me an electronic copy of budget as a 192K PDF file

 

2007 Budget Worksheets Apr 2007

 

I have placed it on my site and it can be opened from this link

 

For overview Budget see my earlier article

 

Council & Mayor

 

Last year Mayor Pond raised some eyebrows by budgeting himself 43T$ for expenses (travel) – but able to get others to pay most of the air fares (serving on provincial committees  etc) – so this year only 30T budgeted --- note the volunteer appreciation increase – while ‘grants’ given to local service groups stagnant – and $3T not even given in 2006

 

 

Buildings the City owns

I am dubious that the City should be putting 12T$ into the Racquet Club Building –(as almost semi-private club – we should break even) – ditto Transition House --- And what is 215 1st Ave E and 1200 Hayes Cove? --- the 1058 3rd W is presumably still under litigation

 

 

 

Infrastructure – what wasn’t done

Almost 230T$ ‘saved’ here of 885T – ditto STAIRS & RETAINING WALL MAINTENANCE where 190T budgeted and 123T not spent

Snow Removal – 300T$ ---- Pest Control – does that mean Rats? – And why is ‘public’ paying 5T$ for Rushbrook Floats clean-up ----Aren’t Floats run by a service group? --- And what about rentals from concession?

 

Parks

 

This looks like a 25% increase – some ‘padding’ here looks like because of the washroom installation etc ---- and look at the grass mowing costs --- Tot Lot – Moose Club item seems extravagant for a ‘partnership’

Swimming Pool for example

2M$

Note how the ‘operating expenses was budgeted at 38T but came in at 79T$
And then that 1/3rd of the ‘Utilities’ budget not spent --- Because closed?

But my main point is that the pool is costing Citizens about 2M$ (on a budget of 2.5M$) --- To me the ‘bottom line’ is how many people are able to use the pool?
I would be more interested in a ‘head count’ than seeing how much $$ we can squeeze out of kids etc ---- 2M$?? Then More free swims – especially for school aged kids

 

 

 

Hey and I am only half way thru the Budget

 

 

 

Created by LG on 4/27/2007

Last updated on Saturday, April 28, 2007