Mid way February .... No Budget Yet

When former Treasurer John Gutteridge joined Aurora, he advised and Council consented to the budget process starting  in September. Completed and approved by December. 

Best prices for contracts with tenders called early. The  work program could be completed. It was good financial management and underway in September,2008, second year of the Mormac Regime.

In  New Year 2009,on the new C.A.O.'s first day, he followed the former Mayor into the Treasurer's office. The budget, which as I recall had not been circulated, was thrown on the Treasurer's desk. Along with some degrading  language, he was ordered to start the process again.

On that day, the C.F.O tendered his resignation. He left the town's employment on April 15th with a budget  completed and approved.

The statement from the town hall was of "early retirement"

A new treasurer was appointed  without a competition and without authority of Council. Both requirements under the Ontario Municipal Act.

We are now looking at a Capital budget for 2011. Last Saturday, we spent an entire  day, from nine to five, looking. On Monday evening, we looked some more.

At the end  Council was informed the appropriate resolution was to approve in principle.

The budget had an estimate of $5 million for re-configuration of office space to accommodate extra staff , hired to meet requirements of the"re-organisation", agreed to by a previous council prior to their defeat from office.

$3,5. million of the $5 million was to come from the hydro reserve fund.

The previous to previous council, who sold Aurora's hydro utility, tied up that asset with a Bylaw  to ensure it would not be dribbled away.Public participation would be required before a decision could be made prior to spending any part of that asset.

Staff knew that. The new Council knew it. I told them at the off-site orientation. But despite the exchange, here was a recommendation, that a substantial chunk be spent.

Half a million dollars for architectural consulting fees to re-configure space needs for parks and works yard with a vision of an $8million structure, are in the Capital budget.

Council was informed municipalities no longer regard pre-fabricated buildings with an office in the corner as adequate for parks and works departments. An office in the public works building is not being used while PW staff are at the town hall, which requires $5million spent on it to accommodate extra staff to accommodate a re-organisation never obviously required until the Mormac regime decided on a makeover designed in their own image.

Half a million dollars is in the capital budget to construct an edifice to store snow. Well not an edifice exactly and not really meant to "store" snow.

Well,you know... snow melts...right. What is proposed to do with the half a million is pave and curb an area for it to melt on and install a drain to take the melt to the storm sewer and let it run out into the creek.

It won't be all of the winter snow.. Only from streets that don't have boulevards to melt on. Like Yonge Street. And only when there is so much snow, it has to be removed to leave room for traffic.

Some years, we don't even get that much snow.

It's proposed to spend another half million repairing vastly inefficient ice making equipment in the Aurora Family Leisure Centre.

That facility has done nothing but cost money since the day it was built.Hundreds of thousands of gallons of expensively treated water is used to make ice.After which  it runs into sanitary sewers and we pay the region  to treat hundreds of thousands of gallons of clean water daily.

Construction had to be undertaken on the roof to keep the ice frozen in the heat of the summer.

The swimming pool had to be emptied and re-built. The jacuzzi had problems from the day it was started up.

We operate a fitness club in competition with private clubs in town.

We converted a gymnasium, intended for teen programs for the fitness club.

Original fitness space was designed with a concrete floor covered with carpet.

We have $85.K in the capital budget for an new ice machine.

I think we should de-commission the A.F.L.C. ice rink.Additional ice intended to be added to the Stronach Centre should be considered. The de-commissioned arena used for a teen centre if needed and offices for the Leisure Services Department if the space is needed in the town hall.

I think $5 million to re-configure the town hall should be removed from the budget as well as half a million for paved, curbed and drained "snow storage". half a million for a teen centre, half a million for architectural consultants to tell us we need more space for parks and works and $8 million to build it.

We could build two ice surfaces, get rid of one albatross, not spend money for a new ice machine. Snow will melt and drain to the creek without any help from us We will keep the hydro reserve intact until we discover the use the community agrees on.

That's what I think. I am telling you what I think because so far , no other opportunity has presented itself

I don't need to spend millions of dollar for consultants to tell me how to spend tax dollars.

Our town's population did not explode.

No reason why  payroll  and building construction and tax rates should either.