Guelph City Council passed the capital budget as presented by staff on Wednesday, but mayor Cam Guthrie says that the $87 million in spending was not simply rubber stamped in its relatively speedy approval.
Speaking to media after the budget was passed Wednesday in less than an hour and a half during a special meeting of council, Guthrie said the credit has to go to the work done by city staff, who were challenged by members of council throughout the process.
“In the past, these types of budget meetings could be six or seven hours long,” said Guthrie. “That’s why the marriage of staff work and council work allows us to get through this budget in a process that’s so quick. It’s definitely not rubber-stamping it.”
The $87,370,100 capital budget will cover the capital projects slated to start or be completed in 2019, including the maintenance, repair and replacement of existing infrastructure. The infrastructure renewal projects accounts for 67 per cent of this year’s capital budget.
Twenty-four per cent of the capital budget is earmarked for growth and will primarily be funded by development charges and support projects to meet the demands on city services by new businesses and residents.
The final 9 per cent of the capital budget will go toward city building projects, which is intended to reflect ongoing projects to enhance city services to the benefit to all citizens.
The capital budget is the second of a total of four budgets to be approved by council for 2019.
Last week, council approved the 2019 non-tax supported operating budget totalling almost $79.1 million, which covers how stormwater services, wastewater services, court services and other services not funded through property taxes are delivered.
The capital budget was passed 12-1, with Ward 1 councillor Bob Bell voting against the approval.
On Wednesday, council was also presented with a 10-year, $1.6 billion capital forecast, which suggests a timeline for future capital projects proposed in the city between now and 2028.
The forecast includes a proposed 2020 start to the south-end community centre project, a 2021 start to the new main library and significant water infrastructure renewal over the 10 years of the plan.
Guthrie told GuelphToday the capital budget forecast paints a realistic picture of what is actually achievable over the next 10 years — not only to council, but also to the residents of Guelph.
“Seeing a capital budget not only for this year, but the outlook of the remaining years in the forecast and what is actually achievable is presenting the truth to people and not getting them excited about all of these projects down the road, where there was never any funding there to begin with,” said Guthrie.
A final council budget meeting for tax-supported operating budget and local boards and shared services budget will be held March 5 at Guelph City Hall.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Ward 2 councillor Rodrigo Goller announced that his wife and newborn son are doing fine. Augustus Goller was born Monday just after 6 p.m. at 8 pounds, 10 ounces.
