Last night the Committee of the Whole heard more details about the town’s 2018 budget.
Treasurer Mathew Armstrong presented a power point addressing a wide range of revenue based topics. Armstrong started by pointing out that Prescott would be receiving the same amount from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund as they had in 2016 and 2017. The 2018 budgets will see increases to Marriage and Rentals to compensate for inflation. The town will be holding their lottery budget steady after seeing a decrease in licensing. With less criminal record checks being processed and fewer dog tags registered the town has dropped the police and protection budgets to compensate.
During Armstrong’s presentation the Committee discussed the potential of assessing their fire agreement with Edwardsburgh Cardinal and Augusta. Prescott provides coverage for the industrial downtown area in Edwardsburgh Cardinal and Mayor Brett Todd pointed out that the town is currently undergoing a massive expense, the construction of the new Fire Hall. Councillor Lee McConnell says he finds it unfair Prescott taxpayers have to pick up the cost of equipment, like a fire truck, when the town already has one that works.
Another point of discussion was the Health Centre. Mayor Todd made it clear he wasn’t advocating for one side or another but said they were losing money on the building. He commented you “maybe sell the building, maybe you don’t” before repeating that he was not advocating a position one way or another. Councillor Fraser Laschinger brought up that the town’s population is ageing and there is no hospital in the town.
Finally Armstrong says the town is being cautious with the Marina budget. According to the Treasurer the decrease in large boats using the docks and last year’s high water levels, coupled with the potential for lots of debris in the river, are the reason for the cautious approach.
