DIDSBURY - At its regular meeting on Dec. 11, Didsbury council passed interim versions of both the 2019 capital budget and the 2019 operating budget.
After asking questions of town department managers and some debate, council decided to approve three items on the 2019 capital budget draft: roof upgrade at Didsbury Arena at $225,000; Main Street drainage/road rehabilitation from 15th to 17th avenues at $800,000; and 10th Street paving at $250,000.
The other capital budget items, which include a pumper (fire) truck, skid steer replacement, and library, will be brought back to council in January.
"I'm wondering if there is a possibility in taking some of these items out and approving the rest of it so we can get on with some of this stuff," said Coun. Erhard Poggemiller at the meeting. "I'm uncomfortable leaving the library number in there carte blanche and also with what Coun. (Bill) Windsor said about the website. Until we get a little more information back, I'll feel a whole lot more comfortable about that in approving the rest."
Windsor had asked earlier whether it was really necessary to fully upgrade the town's website.
"I think it would be premature to commit that kind of funds ($30,000) that isn't necessarily going to reflect what we're looking for in terms of the next 12 months," said Windsor. "So I'm reluctant to approve that. There are a lot of deficiencies I won't get into in great detail. I think putting a new face or new presentation on old material is still old material...it seems to me that the process needs is to be cleaned up before we start giving it a facelift."
Amanda Riley, chief financial officer for the Town of Didsbury, said the budget will be looked at by staff and brought back to council in the new year.
"Council approved three of the items on the capital budget for the purpose of allowing administration to get started on the work involved with a capital project," said Riley. "They have asked for the capital budget to come back to the first meeting in the new year. The capital budget in its entirety eventually will be approved by council."
Mayor Rhonda Hunter said that council asked for staff to review the budget and answer questions council has.
"Council approved the arena roof as all questions had been answered about that project, and it is on the 10-year capital plan," said Hunter. "We had great success with the same roof application in 2018. The same roof company will be doing the arena roof for much less than was projected a few years ago.
"Council approved the roads projects so as to enable the public works manager (Greg Skotheim) to get the tenders out in a timely manner and not face late fall construction delays due to weather and due to getting tenders out late."
The remainder of the capital budget will come back to the Jan. 8 regular council meeting, said Hunter.
"It doesn't mean it will pass then, but that will be the third meeting with capital budget information and council should have most of their questions answered by that point and be in a better position to know which capital projects they will be in favour of passing."
In regards to the operation budget, Hunter said council will now review the information and ask questions about the information received in the proposed budget.
"This review and these questions will allow council to identify whether they will be asking for reductions to the proposed operational budget," she said.
In other council news, during question period near the end of the meeting, a couple of residents asked about why delegations were moved to the policies and priorities (P&P) meetings at 4:30 p.m.
"Why did you approve for delegations to speak at the 4:30 meeting when a bunch of us work and don't get off until 5 or 5:30 p.m.?" asked resident Cindy Crawford. "If we want to come in and present something to you then we have to take time off work. What is the purpose for that decision?"
Hunter told the Gazette the decision to move delegations to the P&P meetings was made on Nov. 27 at the P&P meeting that day.
"The rationale was that it fit well into the meeting format of the policies and priorities meetings," she said. "When delegations ask to present to council, the intent is for council to hear what information they have. We are accommodating that through our P and P meetings."
