Chairman of Summer in the Park, Derek Shogren, presents expansion ideas for this year's festival to City Council at Monday night's regular meeting. Photo by Devin Size
The final approval for the 2011 Capital Budget was made at what turned out to be one of City Council’s longest regular meetings.
Vice President of the North Bay Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Summer in the Park, Derek Shogren presented ideas to expand, and possibly rename the annual summer festival.
Operations Manager of the YMCA, Dave Saad, gave details about the kickoff of the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign to help unfortunate families who cannot afford enrolment in YMCA programs. The launch is set for Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the Best Western.
The 2011 Water Rates By-law is changing after passing an increase of 6% (or $3.87 per month) to all typical flat rate residential accounts.
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The 2011 Capital Budget for Capital Projects is set as planned after City Council voted down Councillor Sean Lawlor’s amendment to the Capital Budget, which proposed removing a sum of $1 million, reducing the municipal tax rate 0.71%. The Budget forecasts an amount of approximately $25 million, while city expenditures currently lie at over $40 million a year. Deputy Mayor, Peter Chirico feels the Council’s decision is based on progression as opposed to regression.
“Will the city ever be out of debt? No, I don’t think that’s reasonable to think,” said Chirico. “What I do think is that we can control that debt over the next 20 years, in conjunction with our Capital Projects - That is the key.”
“If we keep reducing our funding, nothing would ever get done. It’s a very simplistic idea to a very complex problem. Yes, we have a debt that will always be there, but we have expenditure that will always be there. Cutting is easy, but Council tonight decided in investing in the future by paying for it now.”
Capital Projects include such things as road maintenance, water and sewer, as well as recreational programs and facilities. Lawlor believes in still moving forward even though this amendment was defeated.
“Essentially what I was suggesting was that the Capital Budget be reduced by $1 million,” said Lawlor. “Half from funding we were asking for and half from taxes. So effectively that $500,000 would’ve resulted in a 0.71% tax reduction from what passed now. The plan had some support from the members of Council, but in the end majority rules. Now it’s just time to move on with the business of Council.”
Councillor, George Maroosis, seconded the motion, agreeing that taxpayers “deserved a break.”
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Not only are there talks of increasing the city’s Summer in the Park, there have also been discussions of changing it back to its original name –- the Heritage Festival.
Shogren’s presentation of Managing Director of Community Services, Jerry Knox’s proposal at Monday night’s Council meeting outlined the forecasted budget for this summer’s festival, looking to be the first year to at least break even since changing the name several years ago. His plan is essentially to return the festival to what is used to be under the Heritage Festival name, in an effort to bring back the hype this festival once had in North Bay.
The proposal has three principal ideas to it. A variety of free attractions in Lee Park similar to previous years, with midway and helicopter rides charging admissions fees. The addition of the Country Open singing competition, and additional music concerts featuring local talent and big names at the Waterfront, wristbands costing $20.
“It’s time to seize the moment. We need to expand this event,” said Shogren. “This proposal has a break even budget, but set very realistically. For example we’re only banking on 10,000 wristband sales in that budget, but in the last couple years we’ve sold well up and above that.”
Although the proposition got a positive response from City Council, it was moved to committee next Monday, simply to answer a few more unresolved questions many Council members still had. It will then be decided on at Council’s next regular meeting, Monday, Feb 21. Shogren assured Council that this delay would in no way impede on the progress of festival operations.
Mayor Al McDonald doesn’t feel that any of the proposition’s issues are insurmountable.
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Residential water rates will be increased by 6% as of March 1, 2011. This will result in an addition of 3.87$ to the existing typical flat residential rate. Discussions of water billing equity took place at Monday night’s meeting concerning the possibility of installing residential water meters and adding to existing commercial water meters. Comparisons were made to monthly water costs in Southern Ontario cities - ranging from $25-30 a month - but it was brought to light that their climate allows for easier maintenance of water infrastructure.
