The Blue Mountains Council adopted the 2010 budget with a two per cent tax increase representing at total levy of $9,775,884 collected from taxpayers.

Councillors and the Mayor began meeting with staff publicly last November to discuss the figures for the 2010 budget. Staff presented summaries from each department and for each capital project planned and kept the tax increase at two per cent at the request of council.

At the January 11 council meeting, Director of Finance, Rob Cummings told council there was a shortfall both in provincial funding and assessment growth, which meant he had to find almost $100,000 extra to balance the budget. To raise the money via tax levy, the 2010 increase would have had to be three per cent, but council was clear it did not want the levy to go beyond two per cent. Cummings was asked to find places to cut the budget to make up for the shortfall.

Cummings returned for the January 25 council meeting and said he also found a shortfall in the CAO/ Clerks department for $40,000 salaries and benefits for a new hire. This brought the total shortfall in the budget to $134,900.

Cummings suggested cutting funds from training and travel in all departments, cutting budgeted legal costs for the planning department, cutting the budget for the OPP since there was money in the reserves in case the police budget fell short in 2010, taking some money from the Harbour instead of from taxes to fund the Police Services budget since local OPP do provide security services to the Harbour, and cutting $75,000 in salaries and benefits from the Fire Department by delaying the hiring of a new Deputy Fire Chief.

CAO Paul Graham said the town has made offers to two candidates for the Deputy Fire Chief position, but both offers were turned down.

He said the town would have to wait for another candidate.

These cuts compensated for the $134,900 shortfall; therefore, the tax levy remained at two per cent.

Council adopted the budget at its January 25 meeting. Councillor Bob Gamble was opposed because he said there were too many capital projects using development charges that the town didn't yet have in reserve.

Councillor Michael Martin was not at the meeting.

Visit thebluemountains.ca for more information about the 2010 budget including tax levy, capital projects, operating budget and expenses.