The irony at Springwater Township’s budget meeting Wednesday afternoon was palpable.
By Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrietoday.ca
Nov. 28, 2024
In an effort to identify and squeeze out every last possible dime from a budget that has caused nothing but consternation for Springwater councillors, Coun. Anita Moore shut down all forward momentum when she decided to do a deep dive and go over various parts of the budget, line by line, to get clarity on the items that concerned her. As she did, others involved in the budget discussion — members of council, senior management, including chief administrative officer and three department directors, and at least eight other township employees, many of them managers — sat and waited to either be called upon for further explanation or just sat waiting. “Before we’re put in a position to vote on something, I would really like to go through the capital plan, or the capital project justifications, so that we can maybe review what is being asked for,” Moore said in her preamble. “If you’ll just indulge me, I’m going to go through some.” She also noted that she wanted to address the roads need study and the $3.5 million that was passed by council resolution earlier this year to see “if there’s any room there where we could defer to 2026 some of that work.” For the next three hours plus, Moore peppered various staffers with questions that could have been addressed during the various one-on-one sessions township directors offered to all members of council when the budget process began Nov. 6. Moore, however, has a full-time job and wasn’t able to make time for the sessions. The majority of her queries were focused on the possibility of deferring some of the expenses in the 2025 budget to 2026.
When she wrapped up her portion, she had identified four road projects: Walt Road, Rosewood Avenue, Flos Road 3 and Rainbow Valley Road — worth $464,000 that she felt could be delayed until 2026. Additionally, she identified another $400,000 that could be saved if the township passed on buying a new truck ($80,000), robotic grass cutters ($80,000) and reduced the investment in the Phelpston pavilion renovations/repairs by $250,000, from $750,000 to $500,000. (Removing these items from the budget would have no impact on the township’s municipal tax levy as they’re funded through debt reserves or development charges.) That’s my proposal,” Moore said.
Before moving forward, Mayor Jennifer Coughlin sought clarity. “Understanding that there is a resolution from council that says we’re requesting $3.5 million, would that then mean that that commitment is still before staff and you would then reassign different roads to that project or is it the intent of council to pull back on the 3.5?” Coughlin asked, directing her question to Moore. “Whichever is simpler for staff, but which is also more palatable for council,” Moore responded. “Whatever works. “The $3.5 million already for roads, I assumed that these were incorporated, so if we have to do a reconsideration for that, I’m fine with that,” the councillor added.
“My understanding is the direction that was provided earlier this year, staff had provided for that in the current budget,” said Jeff Schmidt, the township’s CAO. “If council wishes to change that, I believe they have the purview to do that.” He added a cautionary note, however. “That said, for 2026, unless council reconsiders that direction, you will see staff come forward with $3.5 million in the 2026 budget,” Schmidt said. “Just so we’re clear, that for 2025 we’ll do it, but if there is no reconsideration, then you will see us come back in 2026 with the $3.5-million investment unless you reconsider that direction,” he added.
Coughlin then checked with staff to confirm the roads that were identified by council were roads that could be left as is for another year. Dan Eberhardt, the township’s manager of capital infrastructure delivery, told council the four roads identified by Moore could be deferred to next year, but doing so will have a domino effect. “Next year, we will come back, as CAO Schmidt outlined, with $3.5 million plus a three per increase for road resurfacing projects,” Eberhardt said. “A deferral on this project will defer projects for next year on to the following year and so forth. “Just keep that in mind,” he added.
Coughlin wondered if it would be simpler to reduce the tax funding for the $3.5 million by $500,000. “If we were to simply pull back $500,000 out of the tax-supported portion of that, what would that look like?” Coughlin asked Greg Bedard, the township’s finance director. “If we were to reduce that by the $500,000 that’s been mentioned, we’re in a very similar situation to where we are this year,” Bedard said. “We’re not contributing tax dollars to our roads infrastructure and we will be back before council next year requesting tax dollars again in order to meet the $3.5-million goal, should that still stand. “We could accomplish what’s before council and we would work within that pot of money, for lack of better words, and allocate it to each project that has made it thus far,” he added. “But again, the implication is that we are not sustainably funding our roads infrastructure.”
Deputy Mayor George Cabral suggested there were a few big-ticket items that have impacted the 2025 budget that may not be in play next year. “I think we might find ourselves in a slightly better position come next year,” he said. “Because those costs are already embedded in this budget going forward. We won’t have these large, large expenditures that were in the magnitude of $1 million plus.”
Coughlin was part way through asking Bedard a question about the big-ticket items — labour and investment in capital funded from taxation — when she was interrupted by Schmidt. “I just want to clarify with members of council the comment about expenditures,” he said. “I will advise you that in 2026, $47.4 million in capital is proposed. In 2027, $44.4 million is proposed. In 2028, 50 million plus is proposed and the same in 2029. “Deferring projects just continues to build those expenditures in future years,” Schmidt stressed. “I get it, we have pressures, it’s a tough budget, but you’re kicking the burden down the road is what you’re doing.”
Springwater council will meet again on Tuesday, Dec. 3 beginning at 3 p.m. to continue budget deliberations. The final budget is scheduled to be approved at the township’s Dec. 4 council meeting.
Springwater council debates what new jobs should be added, what can wait
By Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrietoday.ca
Nov. 26, 2024
Many are called, few are chosen. Fewer still will be approved.
With 15 program changes (budget additions) suggested, representing a net tax impact to Springwater residents of $975,474 or 5.12 per cent, township council spent Monday evening debating the value of the suggested additions versus the cost to taxpayers during its most recent budget meeting.
With the exception of the first item on the list — which was a need not a want, being new fire department management dispatch software worth between $15,000 and $25,000 annually — all of the requests were for additional personnel. According to senior management, this is required to right-size the township’s workforce.
The fire department’s request was approved to move on to the next round of approvals, which will be held Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. at the township’s administration centre on Nursery Road. At council’s direction, the township’s senior management prioritized each of their requests based on the following criteria:
impacts on service delivery
revenue-generating capability
address current and future growth requirements
“The list of program changes encompassed a collective means, in order of magnitude, that the leadership team feels the township requires to move forward,” finance director Greg Bedard said as he introduced the evening’s agenda.
On the list to be considered were a manager of recreation and culture; two “operator one” positions for parks and recreation; one “operator two” position for parks and recreation; director of people and talent; tax and utility co-ordinator; development engineering technologist; public works support assistant (moving a part-time role to full-time); two equipment operators for public works; economic development officer (EDO); junior financial analyst; co-ordinator of culture and events and Elmvale District High School recreation program staff.
Eliminated Monday night from consideration were manager of recreation and culture, director of people and talent, two “operator one” positions for parks and recreation, equipment operator (public works) and co-ordinator of culture and events. The manager of recreation and culture and the co-ordinator of culture and events were positions Mayor Jennifer Coughlin thought were worth investing in. Coughlin said staff has being volunteering for years to support the township’s many events, from Autumnfest to tree-lightings. She said it wasn’t fair. “This is staff stepping outside of their role, above and beyond, and that’s what this corporation has been doing for far too long,” the mayor said. “Because the juggling balls haven’t hit the floor or exploded doesn’t mean that we don’t need to right-size.”
Deputy Mayor George Cabral said the township doesn’t need the roles at this moment. “When you look at Springwater Township, it’s not like some other areas farther south where they really do have a cultural and ethnic diversity that is explicit,” he said. “Schools, activities, temples, religious festivals — all those kinds of things. “We’re just on the cusp of that and I really, to be quite frank, don’t know if we’re at the stage where this particular piece, with the word ‘culture,’ like we’re going to have a culture department, is really where we’re at just yet,” Cabral added. “Especially when we’re already looking at 14.7 per cent increase, even though we’re trying to pare it down somewhat.”
And while council was in a paring mood, it did allow one returning item — an economic development officer — to move on to the next round for consideration.The role has been a recommended addition to the township’s personnel roster for years, but has been defeated for a variety of reasons.
Coun. Danielle Alexander, who was against adding the position last year, said she talked about the role with Doug Herron, the township’s director of planning and development services. She said that discussion swayed her opinion somewhat. “He had some very good thoughts and I was very intrigued in how he sees this position moving forward,” she said. “The position is directly related to increasing the revenue of the organization,” Herron said, “but it should be understood that it will take a number of years to build a program to realize those returns in terms of successful growth of business in the township. “Two key goals would be to champion small business and to bring new investment and new business to the municipality,” he added. To do that, Herron said the first step would be building connections at the regional level and updating the township’s economic development plan.“In that plan, what I would be looking for is what are the specific industries that we can go out and solicit to bring here that would be successful,” he said. “And higher again, that position would be charged with going out and making connections with the ministry of industry, ministers of tourism at both the provincial and federal level and getting to know their staff so we would have higher connectivity to grant monies,” Herron added.
Coun. Anita Moore wondered if it would be best to put off making a decision on the fate of the economic development officer role until the township got back the growth management study that was commissioned by the township’s growth and economic viability ad hoc committee. The committee hired WSP, an engineering and professional services firm, to complete the growth management study at a cost of just under $200,000. “The sooner the township endeavours to hire an EDO and start creating programs to grow our economy, the sooner we’ll gain traction on that economy,” Herron said. “How soon does council want to see traction to begin to grow the economy and adjust our tax base so it’s less residential heavy and a little stronger on the commercial, industrial side?”
Springwater council given options to reduce budget hike, cover shortfall
By Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrietoday.ca
Nov. 22, 2024
Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action in nature there’s an equal and opposite reaction.
This past week, Springwater Township council discovered Newton’s third law applies to budgets as well as nature. Facing a tough slog to keep 2025’s tax hike from being onerous, township council directed senior management to deliver multiple budget options following a Nov. 6 budget meeting where staff presented council with a proposed budget that featured a 14.16 per cent increase to the municipal levy. That levy, when combined with the proposed four per cent increase from the County of Simcoe (since reduced to 3.625 per cent), would’ve resulted in a blended tax bill increase of 8.31 per cent. Facing an uproar from residents, council directed staff to bring back three budget options that reduced the municipal levy portion from 14.16 per cent to 12 per cent, 10 per cent and eight per cent.
Staff presented the reworked options to council Wednesday afternoon. In all three cases, staff reduced the increase, but they can’t stave off the need. Jeff Schmidt, the township’s chief administrative officer, took a few minutes near the beginning of the meeting to lay out some unvarnished realities. First, he defended the proposed budget that was presented at the Nov. 6 meeting. “By no means did senior management want to bring forward a budget that included a tax increase at the level you saw on Nov. 6,” Schmidt said in his preamble. “That being said, I respectfully submit, senior management is responsible for providing our best professional advice to council and it’s council that has the ultimate responsibility to make the final decision and provide direction. “What was presented to members of council was a direct result of decisions and directions that have been previously made around this table,” he added. With that out of the way, Schmidt started to present the numbers. “The township’s net expenditures exceed our net revenues in the amount of $2.8 million,” he said.
The CAO listed six key influencers affecting the $2.8-million shortfall — labour, general operating expenses, the township’s one per cent infrastructure levy, its investment in capital funding from taxation, service-partner costs and assessment growth.
Labour, Schmidt said, will cost the township an additional $1 million in 2025.
The second major pressure is general operating expenses of $310,000, which basically help the township maintain 2024 service levels.
The third item is the township’s one per cent infrastructure levy which amounts to $190,000. The municipality has a portfolio of assets worth $1.07 billion that it’s required to maintain, and this money is earmarked for that purpose.
Next up is the township’s investment in capital funded from taxation — the amount of money that is funded from the township’s operating budget to support its capital budget. “In our capital budget, we have a number of different funding sources — development charges, reserves, reserve funds, debt. If we don’t have any other money then it essentially comes out of taxation or operating budget,” Schmidt explained. “So of the $2.8-million shortfall, we have $1.3 million that’s in our operating budget to fund capital.” Schmidt reminded council that it provided direction earlier this year to increase the township’s annual investments in road resurfacing projects to $3.5 million. “As a result, the annual capital and operating budget for this area has increased by just over a million dollars, which is what you’re seeing here,” he said.
Next on the list of impacts is the township’s facilities assessment study. It recommends significant investments in the township’s corporate and community facilities. It’s a roughly $200,000 impact on the budget. The final pressure at play in Springwater is the cost of service partners: Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority, Severn Sound Environmental Association, Springwater Public Library and Ontario Provincial Police.
Of the $657,610 needed to fulfill the requests from the township’s service partners, about 85 per cent of it — $575,000 — is for the increased cost of policing.
Schmidt closed on an optimistic note, advising council that the township should realize about $713,000 in revenue based on estimated assessment growth. Greg Bedard, the township’s finance director, took council through the three new budget options after providing the guidelines staff used to arrive at the new options.
The first consideration was to maintain 2024 service levels. “To that extent, currently we are not presenting any changes to the operating budget that impact service levels,” he said.
Next criteria was council’s resolution with respect to the roads rehabilitation capital plan spending target of $3.5 million. “This represents council’s endorsement of the roads need study and the tax-increase scenario to maintain the required $3.5-million investment that the council resolution requires,” Bedard noted.
The last criteria was to defer 2025 capital projects that were funded through taxation. “This speaks to CAO Schimdt’s previous comment with respect to looking to bring down the tax increase,” Bedard said. “This is primarily achievable through a reduction in the capital plan that is funded through taxation. When staff looked to defer or reduce 2025 capital projects to a future year, this included a prioritization of projects funded through taxation.”
Bedard cautioned that doing so would further build on the township’s current infrastructure deficit. He then presented the three options. He started off on a positive note by advising council that the township will receive $115,000 from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) next year. The money will be used to offset operating expenses and represents a savings against the $2.8-million shortfall. To achieve a 12.62 per cent increase in the municipal levy, the township would apply the $115,000 to the shortfall and remove the one per cent compounding of the infrastructure levy of $190,000. This would result in a blended tax increase of 7.42 per cent.
To achieve a 10.51 per cent increase in the municipal levy, the township would apply the $115,000 to the shortfall, remove the one per cent compounding of the infrastructure levy of $190,000 and remove taxation funding from roads capital for a realized savings of $418,000. This would result in a blended tax increase of 6.38 per cent.
In the final scenario, which would result in an 8.29 per cent increase in the municipal levy, the township would apply the $115,000 to the shortfall, remove the one per cent compounding of the infrastructure levy of $190,000, remove taxation funding from roads capital and fund from debt for a realized savings of $418,000 and remove taxation funding from facilities capital and reduce the scope of the facility condition assessment program in the amount of $210,000.
This would result in a blended tax increase of 5.29 per cent.
Springwater council will continue with budget deliberations on Monday, starting at 5 p.m.
Springwater urges county to repeal ‘incredibly out of touch’ councillor pay hike
By Wayne Doyle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Barrietoday.ca – Nov. 22, 2024
Nothing sparks the ire of the masses like politicians giving themselves a raise.
When Simcoe County council voted to up councillors’ remuneration during an Oct. 22 council meeting, critics of every stripe came out of the woodwork to castigate the councillors, including the province’s top politico, Premier Doug Ford. “It’s like the fox taking care of the henhouse,” Ford said in an interview a couple of days after Simcoe County councillors voted to give themselves a raise that will take their current councillor salary — $12,054 with an additional $6,025 in per diems — to a base salary of $41,717, not including per diems, in 2027. “This has to stop,” the premier added.
On Wednesday night, Springwater Township council condemned the raise and passed a resolution to “urge county council to repeal their wage increase to all members of county council.” A copy of the resolution, which was brought forward by Coun. Danielle Alexander, will be sent to Ford, Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte MPP Doug Downey and all municipalities within Simcoe County. “I feel that the 165 per cent wage increase given to oneself, is incredibly out of touch,” said Alexander, who, like all councillors on Springwater council, earns $28,471 annually for her township duties. “Certainly don’t see that very often.” Alexander said she wanted to bring her concerns to township council because she thinks if enough municipalities do the same, the increase might be rolled back. “If we can resolve as a council that we’re not happy about it, and potentially other municipalities within the county push back as well, then there’s the ability to affect change,” she added.
Coun. Phil Fisher, who seconded Alexander’s motion, said it spoke for itself. “When people take a look at county councillors electing to give themselves some pretty hefty raises, 165 per cent, it doesn’t sit right with people and I, certainly as a taxpayer and a municipal politician, I can’t justify it,” he said. “I definitely don’t think it’s right and taking a stand or making our voices known is something we should do,” Fisher added.
Neither of Springwater’s representatives on county council — Mayor Jennifer Coughlin or Deputy Mayor George Cabral — were in favour of the raise. “I spoke against this on the county floor,” said Coughlin. “I am in favour of county councillors increasing their wage next term. “The huge problem I have with it is that, as county councillors, we knew what the pay was getting into it,” she added.
According to county officials, the raise — the first in 10 years — will bring current councillor salaries, among the lowest in Ontario, into the mid-range of compensation among similar-sized municipalities. “Our councillors were clear, when approving the phased adjustment for the first time in more than a decade, that they wanted to remain within the average or middle rate of pay, not the top of the list,” Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke said in an email to BarrieToday. “Regarding the matters being brought forward at Springwater council, we do not comment on the lower-tier legislative process, nor do we feel it’s appropriate for them to comment on ours,” the warden added. Clarke, however, did offer a correction to the Springwater Township motion. “The county tax levy does not impact lower-tier municipalities or the budgets they set in their local municipalities, as suggested in the motion,” he said. “It’s a separate line on residential bills, just like the school board. “Property owners, who are also Simcoe County residents, contribute directly to the county tax levy for services such as waste collection, road operations, landfills, transit, long-term care, paramedic services, social services and housing, economic development, airport services and much more,“ Clarke added.
According to a chart that catalogued councillor wages at 10 counties/districts/regions that was included with the warden’s comments, the remuneration for such councillors across Ontario is random at best. Of the 10 areas included on the list — the counties of Simcoe, Dufferin, Oxford and Wellington, the District of Muskoka and the regions of Durham, Halton, Niagara, Peel and Waterloo — Simcoe County councillor salaries were at the bottom.
In Simcoe County, which has a budget of $774 million, councillors are paid $18,079. In Oxford County, a councillor earns $35,344. Oxford County’s budget is about $350 million, less than half of Simcoe County’s budget. In Durham Region, councillors are paid $62,143 each. Durham Region has a total budget of $2.18 billion. Peel Region, which has the largest budget on the list at $5.9 billion, pays each of its councillors $63,665 annually, the highest of the counties/districts/regions included in the chart.
“We are among the fastest-growing regions in Ontario, managing an annual budget approaching $1 billion while overseeing critical public services and significant infrastructure projects,” Clarke said. “As a collective group, we felt this was an opportunity to further attract the best possible politicians to this level of government. We want diverse representation that aligns with the demographics of our region,” he added.