Feature Article January 23, 2002
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Municipal Dollars and Senseby Will CybulskiHow our tax dollars are spent should always be a concern for rate-payers at any level of government jurisdiction, and at North Frontenac Councils regular meeting on January 14, Mayor Stan Johnston took the time to explain to the audience where some of our local money goes. Under Bills and Payrolls, just over $847,000 was meted out, with the bulk going to cover Frontenac Management Board (the replacement for County level government), four payments to the Board of Education, and an OPP service-delivery payment for 2001. With the Employment Equity program, the COLA (Cost Of Living Allowance) was pegged at 2%. That amount has to be accounted for in budgeting, or the municipality suddenly finds itself holding a sizeable bill with no earmarked funds to pay. This year, the municipality went to the tender system for its accountants. Prior to amalgamation, the firm of Secker, Ross and Perry, of Kingston, had been providing accounting services for the former Townships of Palmerston, Clarendon-Miller and Barrie. Our new municipal government of North Frontenac stayed with that firm, simply to keep operations rolling along with as few hitches as possible. Mayor Johnston was quick to point out that the municipality had been quite satisfied with the services provided by Secker, Ross and Perry, but that it was more fiscally responsible to have some competitive prices for looking after the books. Surprisingly enough, there was a wide variation in the four tenders submitted, with a $7,000 spread from lowest to highest. Howard Allen of Perth came in at $13,545, and MacKillican and Associates of Renfrew were close behind at $13,132.50. Secker, Ross and Perry provided a bid of $9,000, while KPMG of Kingston won the tender at $6,128.50. Council will start its budgeting sessions in late spring.
