October Budget COW Number One

Budget battle season begins

Financial Officer Joe Chirkoff has a big dream.

He wants to steer Council members through the 2026 budget process, with the ultimate goal of having the new document receive first, second and third reading by November 18.

This, he told Council members at last night's inaugural budget-focused Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting, would not only mean that the budget would be approved in the fastest time ever for a Council in this Village, but that it would put the Village in line for an award recognizing budgetary excellence.  

Big dreams. High hopes. And a very tight schedule.

Last night's meeting got off to a strong start. Councillor Jaime Cunliffe sent her regrets, but all other members were present, including Councillor Neville Abbott, who was forced to attend the first half of the meeting by phone when his drive home was interrupted by an accident on the Lions Gate Bridge.

Chief Administrative Officer Ross Blackwell noted that while he felt Chirkoff's plan was "very do-able", it will be up to Council members to get the job done. "Everyone present has a role to keep this train moving down the tracks," he said.

After Chirkoff received assurances that all members of Council are committed to the process, he walked them through an overview of this year's budget (found in the evening's agenda, HERE). He called the current draft version a "Keep the lights on" budget, and emphasized how members of Council will have to weigh in on supplemental expenditures as a part of the process.

It was clear that all members of Council are looking to cut expenses and reduce taxes for residents, but their planned routes for achieving this aim varied.

During discussion, Abbott asked for 2025 actual figures to be included in the draft budget to give an accurate comparison, and Chirkoff agreed to do so. He also agreed to Abbott's request to keep a running change-log, listing any changes made as the draft document advances.

Councillor Ron McLaughlin's made a pointed comment to staff that he'd like to see a $200,000 reduction in staffing costs before the next draft is presented. This was followed by a lively back-and-forth with Blackwell as to whether such decisions should be "political" or made by staff.

McLaughlin also called for a year's "pause" on the Infrastructure levy, which Abbott pushed back against. He said it would take a "lot of convincing to get him to support a reduction" on the levy, in light of the need to address aging infrastructure throughout the Village.

While much of the decision-making with regard to meeting dates for October and November remains to be determined, it was confirmed that the next budget-related COW meeting, focusing on capital expenditures and supplemental costs, will occur October 16 at 6 p.m.

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