Board members of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority are ready to send next year's budget out to their member municipalities for comment.
General Manager Brian Horner says the orginal figure they presented to the board was an increase of around 4.8 per cent. Board members asked that they reduce that number and Horner explains in the past they had held the increase to two per cent and that's what they've done again this year.
Horner says the proposed budget will now go back to the member municipalities and they have thirty days to comment on it before the board is in a position to either approve or disapprove the budget with an increase of two per cent.
“We originally showed the board about a 4.8 per cent increase and while they didn't give us an actual bottom line number they obviously suggested we go lower and in the past we've got down to two per cent and that's what we've done again.”
“There's a mandatory thirty day period the municipalities have to review, at that stage, if the board wishes to it could vote on it, which could happen at the December board meeting. When I say vote on it it could be to approve or disapprove.”