Clearview Township council continued to wade through the 2015 municipal budget Monday.
Department heads presented portions of the staff-proposed budget during a second workshop that took up the first half of an eight-hour meeting.
Council members got a first look at the $60.9-million budget last month, comprised of $22.4 million in operating expenses and $38.5 million in capital spending, reflecting a 6.4 per cent tax increase. The numbers have changed slightly since last month and will continue to change as councillors begin debating the budget at a third workshop on Jan. 26.
The draft budget would require a 3.22 per cent tax increase, once county and school board taxes are factored in, which translates into an estimated increase of $91 based on a home assessed at $255,783, the average in Clearview Township.
New growth in the township will account for $94,020 in township revenue, up from the $85,620 originally projected.
Public works projects, including bridges, roadwork and sidewalks, account for $14.5 million, wastewater capital projects are pegged at $17 million and waterworks, including projects in Stayner and Creemore, are expected to cost $5.6 million.
Another $287,000 is being earmarked for parks and recreation. Capital projects include $40,000 for trail construction, $25,000 for bleachers at parks in New Lowell and Creemore, $8,000 to sandblast the pool in Stayner, $85,000 of work at the Creemore arena (for flooder and west wall insulation) and $85,000 of work at Stayner parks (Ives Park tennis court resurfacing and Station Park expansion).
As part of the Clearview Fire and Emergency Services’ $568,000 capital projects budget, Fire Chief Colin Shewell is proposing the purchase of a pumper truck valued at $360,000 to be stationed in Creemore but used throughout the township, $50,000 to replace a pickup truck and $30,000 worth of replacement bunker gear, among the top expenditures. Shewell said the department is made up of 100 part-time or volunteer firefighters, which the township employs for the cost of three full-time unionized firefighters.
Salaries, wages and benefits account for $611,285 of the department’s expenses.
Clearview Public Library CEO Jennifer LaChapelle highlighted in her budget presentation a plan to install Little Free Libraries at a cost of $750. Following a popular concept, small structures would be installed and stocked with books and people would be welcome to take and leave books free of charge.
LaChapelle is also proposing to increase staff hours to add Saturday programs and activities and fill in for sick days and vacations at just over $19,000.
An $85,000 expenditure for a cargo van to be used as a mobile library has been removed from the budget because the library has been offered use of an existing township vehicle.
The library is also budgeting $5,000 to replace the roof at the Stayner branch.
The building has undergone several repairs in recent years. It was closed for one month in 2014 to accommodate an emergency floor repair.
LaChapelle said there is currently a bat hole that needs to be dealt with.
“I am not afraid of bats but I don’t think having them fly around the library would be a good thing,” said LaChapelle. “You don’t always have a patron willing to club them and take them outside.”
Councillor Shawn Davidson said, the current council has to decide what it is going to do with the library by the end of 2016, before going into the 2017 budget process.
“We have to have the intestinal fortitude to make that decision,” said Davidson.
He urged council members to commit to a decision as to whether or not the township can afford to absorb the debt to build a new library.
Mayor Chris Vanderkruys said that new members of council are about fiscal management.
Michael Wynia presented highlights from planning, building and information services.
In terms of the latter, Wynia talked more about what isn’t included in the $89,500 capital budget. He said the township is in need of proper computer servers and a temperature controlled room in which to store them. He said the township is using old servers that are being cooled by a household fan.
Wynia said he also hopes to re-launch the walkability study that was shelved last year at a cost of $20,000.
“I know we’ve heard today a number of times that we need to show fiscal restraint but we need to move forward,” said Davidson.
Wynia is proposing a reserve be established to start saving for improvements.
As for Clearview’s community halls, a reserve fund has been established to address accessibility issues and future upgrades and staff is asking for $20,000 again this year to plan for the second annual Small Halls Festival.
How one tax dollar is spent:
43 cents of every tax dollar goes to Clearview
22 cents – public works
.09 cents – policing
.07 cents – fire
.05 cents – parks
0.03 cents – library
.03 cents – administration
.02 cents – planning
.012 cents – IT
.005 cents – NVCA
.004 cents – bylaw
The other half of each cent is divided between the school board and the County of Simcoe.