Colwood council has given its preliminary stamp of approval to this yearB次元官网网址檚 budget, minus the support of one councillor.
Coun. Rob Martin voted against the CityB次元官网网址檚 five year financial plan citing philosophical reasons stemming from the review process of the municipalityB次元官网网址檚 core budget, a roughly $17 million figure that encompasses the bulk of the CityB次元官网网址檚 recuring expenses.
Martin explained that he opposed the budget because he would have preferred to see council review its expenditures more thoroughly, citing a brief process during a pair of Committee of the Whole meetings on March 1 and 2.
B次元官网网址淐ore is where this council gets to determine from a philosophical standpoint where this CityB次元官网网址檚 moving,B次元官网网址� he told council. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not talking about looking at how many pencils or how much paper we are buying, but we need to systematically look at every department and (ask) B次元官网网址榠s this department meeting our goals of what council wants to achieve moving forward?B次元官网网址�. And if we canB次元官网网址檛 philosophically answer that question, then we havenB次元官网网址檛 reviewed the budget thoroughly enough.B次元官网网址�
Mayor Carol Hamilton noted that the budget calls for a minimal tax lift B次元官网网址� a modest 2 per cent increase is planned B次元官网网址� but that improvements in the process next year could be made that would allow for an expanded review.
Coun. Martin later clarified to the Gazette that he thought the budget was sound and that if unanimity was required, he would have voted in favour of it.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think thereB次元官网网址檚 anything that the community needs to be concerned about. I actually think this is a very healthy budget. I would just prefer to be a little more diligent when it comes to reviewing it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f I had a legitimate concern that we were spending money where we shouldnB次元官网网址檛 or that wasnB次元官网网址檛 actually meeting our values or goals as a council, I would be a lot more vocal than what I was.B次元官网网址�
Preliminary readings were originally scheduled for councilB次元官网网址檚 first meeting of the month on April 10, but concern over a new capital expenditure at the jointly-owned West Shore RCMP building .
A report was presented to council this week and the $76,000 project to upgrade the detachmentB次元官网网址檚 HVAC system was eventually included in the budget through the use of reserve funds.
Coun. Cynthia Day and Mayor Hamilton both expressed that theyB次元官网网址檇 like to see better communication between the owners of the building, which also includes Langford and View Royal.
A landlord committee exists, but director of finance Andrew deBucy couldnB次元官网网址檛 find any meeting minutes past 2012.
The capital expense approval included a recommendation that the landlord committee meet before payment is made.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to the committee getting together and really talking about what their plan is,B次元官网网址� Coun. Day said. B次元官网网址淚 would like to make sure that the improvements that we make are money well spent.B次元官网网址�
joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com
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