Public Budget Consultation Meeting

"Public" Noticeably Absent from Podium

[This annual meeting substitutes for the afternoon and evening public information sessions that used to be held at a public venue, such as Midtown Hall, prior to 2006. In the democratic era, managers from city departments would attend the session (including fire and police service representatives), set up a display, give out copies of their budgets, and answer visitors' questions directly - without having the Mayor, councillors, City Manager, or City Clerk run interference for them. From the City's point of view, it was logistically complex. But it did give citizens a clear and present opportunity to comment on budget priorities and specific expenditures. The number of speakers at the annual budget consultation meeting held in council chambers has dwindled to a handful of repeat petitioners.]


START: 7:00 PM

ABSENTEE: Councllor Swystun (ward 7).

PUBLIC GALLERY: Brian Clavier, Merv Bender, Debbie Lehner, Mike Mitchell, Verna Schneider, Reg Beardsworth (after 7:11 PM), three SPCA staff, and eight others.

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: 23 (five others will be "Available Soon..."), totalling 514 pages.



For the J.M. Cuelenaere Library . . . .

- Councillor Atkinson spoke briefly about the Library budget - see pages 1 to 4 in document 5, "2009 External Agency Sybmissions," under Operating Budget, General Fund, at http://www.citypa.ca/CityHall/BudgetInformation/tabid/359/Default.aspx


For the Community Service Centre . . . .

- Merv Bender noted that the original increase request is higher than 3.5%. However, since the document was prepared in November 2008, he now projects there will be a decrease in the additional $4800 fuel cost noted there - see pages 5 to 14 in document 5 cited above.


7:14 PM


For the SPCA . . . .

- Debbie Lehner elaborated on options for council. The SPCA runs up considerable expense due to the animal control functions performed by Bylaw officers, though receives no funding from Bylaw enforcement. Some cities have a box on their water bills where residents can add a dollar to specified charities. Other Saskatchewan cities allocate up to $3.92 per capita to their SPCA/Humane Society; PA's contribution works out to $1.32. Councillor Zurakowski said he looked forward to making progress on finding a new home for the SPCA - his daughter regularly reminds him about this. The SPCA budget documents are on pages 15 to 20 in document 5 cited above.


7:28 PM. Six members of public leave.



For the Holy Cross School Community Council . . . .

- Dwayne Thorimbert spoke briefly, thanking council for including $60,000 in the budget for traffic lights at 15th Ave. East and Muzzy Drive. Councillor Ring said 15th Ave. East had the third-highest traffic count of all avenues in the city. Councillor Zurakowski thanked Mr. Thorimbert for "following this to the end, which is tomorrow."


7:33 PM. Three people remain in public gallery.


For the City's Pedestrians and Budget Analysts Everywhere . . . .

- Brian Clavier asked [for the umpteenth time] for the 41 crosswalks at intersections with traffic signals to be painted this year [some were done downtown in 2006, but most have not been painted since 2005 or earlier]; commented on the police budget, "summer banners," and cameras on the Diefenbaker bridge; and questioned golf course expenditures. [His presentation can be found in the post below this one, dated March 27, 2009.] Councillor Ring remonstrated him about not quoting golf course numbers unless he takes fee increases into account, saying that, at the golf course, "users pay." [Courtesy of clarifications from the Councillor, there will a special post on golf course finances for the past nine years. Watch for it this weekend.]

7:39 PM.


For the Golf Course's 100th Anniversary and the 2009 Royal Canadian Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship . . . .

- Verna Schneider referred to a revised budget [the one on pages 23 to 26 of document 4 under the Operating Budget, General Fund, at http://www.citypa.ca/CityHall/BudgetInformation/tabid/359/Default.aspx was prepared six months ago - and not posted on the City's web site until after March 26, 2009 - along with a revised, March 24, 2009 budget, found at pages 42 to 49] for the golf course's 100th anniversary celebrations, which shows $188, 345 in expenses. She requests $45,836 from council for these golf course events, for which the City wold be acknowledged as "Premier Sponsor." While the legacy wall cost has fallen from $65,000 to $15,000 [since October 31, 2008 - see page 10], and the $4500 history book expense has been assumed by a donor, the request to the city has decreased by only $4164. Councillor Atkinson lamented the absence of a hotel levy in the city, which would generate money for this type of celebration. Mayor Scarrow said that "questioning (city) policy" has nothing to do with this grant request. Councillor Ring said green fees and the other services at the golf club will generate money. Councillor Zurakowski said he could see the next day's headline: council spends $6000 for hospitality and $2000 for beer. [Actually, the $3000 budgeted for "Beer" at the Banquet and Fun Night - see page 24, in the October 31 budget - has magically transformed into $3000 for "Refreshments" at those events in the March 24 budget - see page 42 for the nomenclature flip. $200 for "Champagne" on the earlier budget was changed to $200 for "refreshments" on the later one. Liquor and 25% funding from the public purse must not mix . . . .]



7:49 PM
______________________________________________________
















Cooke Municipal Golf Course is indicated by the arrow on the right . It encompasses at least 40 square blocks. (Compare the square bounded by 17th St., 22nd St., 6th Ave. East, and 2nd Ave. West.) Kinsmen Park, which covers about six square blocks, is indicated by the arrow on the left. If you left click on the photo, you will see it in much greater detail.
__________________________________________________________

Councillor Matheson said 100 years is something to celebrate: "This is what puts Prince Albert on the map." Mayor Scarrow advised that people coming to the golf course events should "feel good because of the golfing experience - not the refreshments." Councillor Dionne [obviously inspired by the overwhelming support his fellow councillors showed for the grant request] said he was purchasing a $2500 golf tournament sponsorship the next day.

7:52 PM

- The Mayor announces that the Budget Committee meeting will begin at 8:30 AM the next morning. [This was a unilateral change to the start time that was advertised in the newspaper and in the March 23, 2009 News Release, under Operating Budget documents, at http://www.citypa.ca/CityHall/BudgetInformation/tabid/359/Default.aspx ]


END 7:52 PM