It's going to take more time to approve the town's 2016 capital and operating budgets.
At its Dec. 7 special meeting, council passed a motion to review proposed changes to the operating budget at the Dec. 21 policies and priorities committee meeting and to bring the capital budget back on Jan. 25.
For its Dec. 14 regular meeting, council was scheduled to vote on rate bylaw amendments for solid waste, water and wastewater.
This year, council held two special meetings to discuss its 10-year capital plan, which administration has stated cannot be carried out in its current form.
However, a lengthy debate over an in-car camera for the community peace officer -- taking up $7,800 of the $7.58 million capital budget in 2016 -- resulted in council asking administration to bring the budget back at another date.
Some councillors grew impatient with the process.
"I want to know what they absolutely need. Everything else is a want or a wish," said Coun. Wade Bearchell.
Coun. Rudy Durieux said he'd appreciate recommendations from administration on what should be cut.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater said she wanted to vote on the right things despite the arduous process of combing through the budget line-by-line.
Chief administrative officer Norm McInnis said as much as $2.5 million needs to be trimmed from the proposed 2016 capital budget alone.
"Our growth has slowed. We didn't see it too much in 2015 but both our growth numbers and our assessment increases for 2016 are suggesting that we're in for slower growth at least for the next couple of years ... That's another reason we're suggesting that our pattern of spending needs to change."
Delaying approval of the capital budget may affect tenders and prices but that's better than rushing to a decision, McInnis said.
According to Coun. Harvey Walsh, council needs to start with what citizens are willing to pay.
"For me, it's about the big picture. What do we want to see in our community, what's an acceptable tax rate for the coming year, then you work backwards for that and start working down," he said.
"Maybe this year, it's time for an increase because the assessment hasn't gone up like it has in the past. And because the utility rates keep going up, you try to balance that by keeping the tax rate down so people don't get a big rate. Those are the discussions we should be having."
"You start at the bottom and try figuring a way up, you just get lost so quick."
"For me, it's about the big picture. What do we want to see in our community, what's an acceptable tax rate for the coming year, then you work backwards for that and start working down." COUN. HARVEY WALSH
