Council corks capital project

Council has put a temporary kibosh on a $300,000 capital budget project.

Council also froze the contingency funds that are being applied to the budgets from different departments, with an estimated total of $600,000.

Ward 12 Coun. Joscelyne Landry-Altmann tabled a motion to take out a project that would see the development of a special events area at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre at Bell Park, because city staff lumped it in with a number of other projects.

The city's community development department presented its capital budget to council's finance committee in October, a meeting Landry-Altmann said she wasn't able to attend.

Under the proposed Leisure and Citizen Services capital budget, the special events site was presented along with six mini soccer fields at Barrydowne/Rotary Park, fencing replacements at various playfields and playgrounds and the Junction Creek Waterway Park.

The total cost of these projects was estimated at $695,000.

It's the way it was presented to council with which Landry-Altmann found fault. She believes each project should have been itemized separately. By lumping it all together, it doesn't have the same effect as if the projects had been outlined separately, she said.

That's something council needs to consider for the future, and said she is certain had it been itemized, flags would have gone up for 13 people around the table.

“We don't have any details as to exactly what is being planned, if there has been any public input, who wants it and why they want it,” she said. “This was a staff-identified option, and it needs more clarification.”

A report will be presented to council on Jan. 17 that will give the special events area more clarification.

“At that time, we will decide whether or not to put it back into the budget,” Landry-Altmann said.

The only councillors to vote against the motion were Terry Kett, Ward 11, and Frances Caldarelli, Ward 10, who were visibly annoyed with the fact an item in the city's capital budget, which council already passed, was brought back to the table.

“I am annoyed by councillors who have been here for years and are surprised (by items in the budget),” Caldarelli said.

“This is unfair. This budget was passed, and I take exception to this, because it's an item in my ward. I don't know really what the problem is, but any problems should have been raised at budget. Coming back after the fact is something I really wouldn't like to see.”

Kett, who chairs the city's finance committee, said his fellow councillor's concern is legitimate. He said he wouldn't mind if the item needs to be fully explained to justify it, but to take it out of the budget and then put it back again several months later isn't sensible. Furthermore, to request a report for every item on the capital budget isn't realistic.

“As leaders of this city, we have to pass a budget and know where the money is going and let staff go out and do their work,” Kett said. “We've had a budget in place, it's a good one, and if there is one item that needs to be pulled, fine, do it and move one. Going down this road is wrong.”

Landry-Altmann said it's her job to be picky.

“If I see something with which I don't agree or causes me to have questions, I will ask them, regardless of whether the budget was already passed,” she said. “If anything, the budget has not been finalized anyway.”

As for contingency funds, Ward 1 Coun. Joe Cimino said while he understands the concept, any good budgeter would understand they need to keep an eye on the ball every day.

“If a department is approaching a shortfall, they should see it coming months ahead of time,” he said. “I wish i could throw $10,000 into a contingency fund in my own home, just in case the roof needs repair.”

Mayor Marianne Matichuk said it's her opinion that contingency funds are used to “pad” budgets.

Posted by Heidi Ulrichsen