Rideau Lakes 2024 Capital Budget Takeaways - Feb 17, 2024

Prior to the Feb 9th meeting to discuss the Township’s Capital budget we need to look at the Council meeting on February 5th.  At that meeting it was moved and seconded by Councillor Hutchings and Councillor Jeff Banks to make an “emergency” amendment to the agenda to add a motion to instruct staff to move forward with issuance of the tender for Portland Hall/Library Project.  This motion ignores that previous changes to the project, made on the fly by the Group of 5 (Councillors Jeff Banks, Paula Banks, Sue Dunfield, Debbie Hutchings, and Linda Car), have not been incorporated into the budget and that the Treasurer presented the long term financial stability impacts of the capital budget are yet be discussed by Council.

Once the motion was moved and seconded by Councillors Paula and Jeff Banks the Group of 5 again argued there was no need to wait for the Treasurer or any discussion of other capital.  They continued to fast track this $2.5 million project regardless of the impact on the capital budget and in the expected  5-4 vote the staff was instructed to proceed with the tender for Portland Hall/Library. (Feb 5th Video clip 14:09 to 23:38).  There followed  a discussion (Feb 5th Video clip 39:00 to 1:16), and a motion  by Councillor Paula Banks and seconded by Councillor Dunfield, concerning $10K being put in the budget to study the needs involved in a retrofit of the Township office in Chantry and without considering the potential for a new build.  The Group of 5 continued to ignore the deficiencies inherent in a building at the end of its lifecycle and one that is not being used for its original purpose.

The Chantry office is on the site of an old cheese factory and the Public Works garage was built nearly 50 years ago in the late 1970’s.  At amalgamation 25 years ago, and since, this building has seen a patchwork of bandaids to accommodate the Township’s administration.  There were two new staff positions approved for 2024….we have no idea where those bodies are going to go in the Chantry offices.  The new Fire Chief is apparently going into the Mayor’s office (we would call it a “closet”) and we don’t have any information as to where the Mayor will conduct the Township’s business.  The picture posted above  s a picture of the Mayor’s “office”.

This discussion has some interesting moments.  There have been actually 4 studies completed on the condition of Chantry….Councillor Paula Banks again dismisses the one by +VG architrects and insults that company’s professional reputation.  Councillor Pollard is usually reserved but, in response to dismissive comments made by Councillor Jeff Banks, you hear some of the history and some of the outrage he feels on the subject of Chantry. 

Later, Councillor Paula Banks, in a statement that is a complete reversal of her behaviour towards senior staff since she took her seat says on the subject of a retrofit of Chantry “to let staff handle it themselves as we are a divided Council and I think that the staff …their education and their background probably know more about this issue than any of us”.  If only that had been the case over the past 9 months.  Councillor Hutchings admits she doesn’t understand what’s going on and takes a “pass” on the vote (which is a nay vote) and the motion was defeated.

The February 9th Capital Budget meeting was a continuation of the Capital discussion that was started on January 30th (Video of this meeting has been added to the video of the January 30th budget meeting at 4:25:00).

The Treasurer’s report was a summary of all the changes made to the budget at previous meetings and many items didn’t require additional discussion.  There was a long discussion on whether the South Elmsley Ron E. Holman park should be finished or cut from the budget. The Group of 5 reiterated their arguments from Jan. 30th in opposition to finishing the pickleball courts that are already underway which continue their trend of wasting taxpayers’ monies already spent. It is always a little jarring to hear Councillor Jeff Banks speak against the interests of his own ward when he is supposed represent South Elmsley.  That has consistently been his behaviour and he is nearly always joined by Councillors Dunfield, Carr and Hutchings in following Councillor Paula Banks’ positions and opinions.  Councillor Jeff Banks once again voiced his objections to having recorded votes.  One could wonder if he would rather taxpayers now and in the future not know how he votes on important issues.  This opposition from the Group of 5 could be construed as a punishment for South Elmsley and ignores the benefit to the entire Township.

Having gone through the capital budget there are still some decisions on the 2024 budget to be made with regard to infrastructure reserves and working capital reserves before setting the tax rate for 2024 and those decisions will come forward for discussion on Feb 20th.