CLYDE – The Village of Clyde council held a Policy and Priorities Committee meeting on Nov. 18 to discuss its operating and capital budgets for the upcoming year.
Council agreed they don’t want to borrow so they discussed prioritizing essential projects and deferring others another year. At the top of the list was paving of at least one street.
“I really think we need to do at least one of them, but we can’t do both,” said Mayor Charis Aguirre.
Deputy Mayor Alma Cruise Irwin said that 51st Street should be done first, noting there are houses along that street.
Coun. Alex Strembesky said if council delays the road work the costs will just continue to go up.
Council unanimously agreed 51st Street should be done first and 47th Street the following year.
Because of the required road work, council is looking at a “very tight budget,” said Cruise Irwin.
Administration isn’t proposing any increases to utility rates for residents, said chief administrative officer Jaye Parrent.
Some staff salaries are expected to increase by 1.9 per cent.
Parrent told council the village has to buy equipment that enables them to hold virtual public hearings. New provincial legislation will require municipalities to offer digital options for public hearings.
Council also needs to budget for new signs for the village in its re-branding initiative, said Parrent.
Several Christmas lights need to be replaced at approximately $40,000 but council agreed that expenditure will have to wait until next year. A new truck, mower and sweeper will also be postponed.
An interim budget is expected to be brought before council in December.
