North Bay Budget Details

The city's much-anticipated first budget was completed Thursday night, following a, sometimes emotional, three-hour council session.

$523, 785 in Savings from ABC’s

Although final numbers will not be available until Monday’s council meeting, it appears the city will come out with a tax levy increase of 6.8 per cent and $523,785 in savings from their agencies, boards and commissions. According to budget chief Peter Chirico the tax rate increase could hit 1.8 per cent.

NBMCA Big Part of the Evening

The North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority was the primary focus of the evening, after being plagued by a year of controversial financial problems.

The Authority announced that it had agreed to reduce its levy to $232, 139. The funds from this levy were to go towards their debt reduction plan.

Budget is “Scary”

At one point in the evening Mayor Vic Fedeli commented that the budget presented by the Authority was the type of budget other ABCs had brought to council initially which were then sent back to the drawing board for more cuts. Coun. Tom Mason said “It’s scary that much of the budget focuses on sale of assets which would equal an expense of $600,000 to the taxpayers if these assets cannot be sold.”

Brian Taylor and John Lechlitner agreed, but both re-iterated that no money would be spent that wasn’t already in the bank, so there would be no cost to the taxpayers.

It also came to light that the city paid the Authority $75,000 for an extension to the Kate Pace Way, of which $58,000 of the work was never done and the funds distributed elsewhere.

Lechlitner reminded council that many of these events took place prior to the time he and Brian Taylor joined the Authority. Lechlitner suggested that some of the Authority's current land assets could be transferred to the city in exchange for the funding.

Not pointing fingers, yet!

Coun. Dave Mendicino stated that no fingers were being pointed yet but “We have to find out what happened and then we can point the fingers.”

Possible $650,000 Rebate to City

Other highlights from the evening included a possible $650,000 rebate from the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board, the city’s share of a $1 million dollar reserve surplus being returned to municipalities the board serves.

Coun. Maureen Boldt applauded the DSSAB.

"It appears that the board went back and took our suggestions and came back with good news,” she said.

Council agreed to a proposal, made by Coun. Peter Chirico, to put 50 per cent of the return towards the tax levy increase and the remainder into a reserve fund for future years.

The North Bay Public Library board returned with a budget that was $21,821 slimmer for an operating total of $1,398,482.

The Capitol Centre cut $13,156 from its budget for an operating total of $175,000 and promised to continue looking at all alternatives for the future.

Cassellholme may stretch out debt

Cassellholme, represented by George Maroosis, advised that a reduction was being considered for its levy which would bring the total operating budget to $787,351, $136,007 more than 2003 but down from the initial $963,831 requested from council in its initial budget.

In order to facilitate this, Cassellholme will stretch out its $360,000 debt over 10 years if approved by its board.

The North Bay Police Services Board will reduce its budget by $60,000 once approved by the board, giving it a total operating budget of $11,340,067 for 2004.

Coun. Peter Chirico presented the North Bay and District Health Unit’s budget. The Health Unit reduced its levy to the city by $47,637, a 19.5 per cent increase. There were some questions by council about items in the budget.

Coun. Mason asked about a $900 filing cabinet.

Coun. Maureen Boldt questioned Coun. Daryl Vaillancourt, a recent addition to the Health Unit board, and asked whether he had seen the line-by-line of the budget prior to it being presented to council. Vaillancourt said he had been through it with the Health Unit’s financial officer.

Tempers Flare

The gloves really came off when Coun. Sarah Campbell, a former director on the Health Unit Board, told Coun. Chirico she had never seen a full budget from the Health Unit.

A visibly rattled Chirico told Campbell that not only had she indeed been provided a full version of the budget in November, but that she had supported it as well.

Campbell denied ever seeing a full breakdown of costs prior to voting on the issue.

Boldt quickly came to Campbell's aid by telling Chirico that he did not need to yell at them.

Chirico called Boldt "out of line" and said he would not debate the issue in public, to which Campbell replied “we have been debating the issue in public.”

Constituent Suggestion

Mayor Fedeli presented a suggestion to the Health Unit Board members that was given to him by a constituent.

The Health Unit currently hires retired police officers as tobacco control officers.

But it was suggested they instead hire graduates from the Police Foundation's course who could be paid substantially less.

Chirico should be immensely proud

Fedeli had complimentary words for deputy mayor and budget chief Peter Chirico. He called the budget Chirico's passion and said "You should be immensely proud of your first budget."