With budget time just around the corner, Chatham-Kent councillors are preparing for what's to come.
Councillor Brock McGregor is also preparing for his new role of budget chair. McGregor was voted into the role by his peers. Instead of having the mayor directing the budget, the municipality puts a chairman in place to guide along budget meetings and organize the representation of varying opinions.
"I thought that I could bring some experience to the role. I thought it could be a helpful thing for me to take on in council and it's a great opportunity to have some impact on the budget process, " said McGregor.
Eight new councillors came on board after the municipal election in October. McGregor is on his second council term and said he's looking forward to working with the new members. According to him, even though it can be a lot of information to take in, there are a number of resources available to help councillors make it through this time of year.
"There lots of opportunities over the next few weeks where councillors can go in and sit down and go through budgets with different departments," McGregor said. "That's a really helpful practice to help with that information overload. Really it's about having confidence and being willing to ask questions and contribute during that budget process once we get moving."
The budget process takes about a total of two weeks and involves multiple chances for residents to get informed and voice their opinions.
Budget presentation night
January 16, 6 p.m.
Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, 315 King Street West, Chatham
Chatham-Kent council will be presented with the initial draft budget this evening. This is an open meeting and residents or groups can attend and make presentations regarding the budget. The meeting will be broadcast live on YourTV and live streamed on Chatham-Kent’s YouTube channel and Facebook live feed.
Budget open houses
January 22, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Centre, 1212 North St., Dresden
Tilbury Arena, Ryder Hall, 55 Bond Ave., Tilbury
January 23, 4:30 p to 6 p.m.
Blenheim High School Cafeteria, 163 Chatham St. South, Blenheim
Wallaceburg Municipal Office, 786 Dufferin Ave., Wallaceburg
January 24, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Active Lifestyle Centre, 20 Merritt Ave., Chatham
These community consultations are a chance for residents across Chatham-Kent to learn more about the proposed budget, ask questions and to provide feedback to councillors. Those who can't make it out to the in-person meetings have the chance to share their opinions in an online survey.
McGregor calls community feedback a very important aspect of the budget. He encourages all residents to share their views with members of the council, so the municipality can see where the community stands on certain topics.
"It's certainly an impactful factor in the budget process," McGregor said. "That's why all of us got elected, to engage with residents in the municipality. Understanding and responding to those needs and weighing those different opinions that we're presented with. It's one of the more important aspects of what' were looking at."
According to McGregor any budget items that involve infrastructure are usually of high interest to the residents.
"In my experience, some of the common things we hear about are individuals interested in the level of investment in infrastructure. It's something that's important in our community, especially a community that's so geographically large and has so much infrastructure," said McGregor.
Final deliberations
January 30, 31 and February 5 (and February 6 and 7 if necessary) 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Chatham-Kent Civic Centre, 315 King St. West, Chatham
Final deliberations are held in the same manner as regular city council meetings. They are done in an open session where councillors will discuss the proposed budget, request to add or remove things from it and vote on budget items as a whole. Residents and groups are welcome to attend deliberations and can make presentations in regards to any budget issues.
Although he can't speculate on any final numbers, McGregor said a big impact council will be looking at is how the change of provincial government will effect Chatham-Kent's budget over the next few years.
"When we look at revenue for the municipality, a lot of our programs are cost-shared with the provincial government, there's provincial funding for a number of things. That really impacts our ability to provide services that residents depend on," said McGregor.
You can visit the municipality's website for more information about the budget and how to get involved.