North Frontenac Budget Approved With 5.96% Increase

Craig Bakay | Feb 21, 2024

North Frontenac Council approved in principle the Township’s 2024 budget at its Feb. 16 special meeting. The impact on the 2024 levy will be a 5.96 per cent increase.

Earlier in the day, the joint Kaladar-Barrie Fire Board finished its budget process which resulted in an additional $36,453 hit to the North Frontenac budget which would have brought the levy impact to 6.92 per cent.

But, Council decided to cut several items, including a new Economic Development position at $44,000, Economic Development conferences at $2,250, other Economic Development materials at $150, Council conferences at $7,000, administration conferences at $1,000 and $15,000 from the Community Improvement Plan.

Council also decided not include a line item for North Frontenac firefighters group benefits that would have cost about $24,000.

But all of the cuts allowed Council to add in a roads surtax totalling $35,788 for this year.

Public Works Manager Darwyn Sproule presented a report that said the capital plan for hard surface roads including Buckshot Lake, Sand Lake and Lookout Hill Roads. This budget of $719,000 would treat 12 kilometres.

“With an additional funding of $300k, I propose the following projects,” he said.

• Harlowe Road from Myers Cave to Henderson Road (2.41 km, $190,000)
• Snider Road (0.65 km, $90,000)
• Engineering service for Buckshot Lake Road from the Plevna Hall to 506/509 intersection ($20,000).”

That would bring the total road treatments up to 15 kilometres as opposed to last year’s 3 kilometres. The Road Needs Study suggests treating 12 kilometres per year.

However, adding the additional road treatments would deplete the reserve fund set aside for such things, hence the $35,788 which will be added to the reserves each year for 10 years.

Sproule argued that road repair costs in particular have exceeded the inflation rate.

“Repairs have gone through roof since Covid,” he said. “As have costs for sand, salt, plow blades and consultation.”

“We have to be proactive and look ahead,” said Mayor Gerry Lichty.

“But from a taxpayers’ perspective, if they see another surtax on a surtax, they’re going to scream bloody murder,” said Coun. Vernon Hermer.

Council also looked at cutting the volunteer appreciation dinner ($1,500) but there seemed to be no appetite for this.

As to the proposed new position for Economic Development, Hermer said: “This is a bit of a luxury position.

“No other township around us has one and the reason has to be financial.”

But Dep. Mayor John Inglis lobbied to keep the position in the budget.

“It’s a luxury in a sense, but it’s also aspirational,” Inglis said. “We here in the North like to think of ourselves as leaders in these things.”

“I don’t think we need an economic development officer here and one in the County,” said Coun. Wayne Good.

“I’m very disappointed (in the position being cut),” said Coun. Stephanie Regent. “How can we do things for businesses without an economic development officer?”

“I frankly can’t support this,” said Lichty.

As to the Community Improvement Plan, there was support for keeping it as is in the budget.

“If we cut this out, it’s a policy change,” said Inglis.

“This is not about planting a few geraniums or a cedar tree,” said Regent. “I know in my own business, I’d take some financial help to make it wheelchair accessible.”

It was noted that many communities use a CIP to help with downtown beautification. But North Frontenac has no downtown to speak of.

As to the cutting of Council conferences, since Lichty and Coun. Fred Fowler have already gone to one conference each, that means the budget for the year has already been spent.

One interesting aspect of this year’s budget was an analysis from Inglis, noting what areas constituted the largest increases (decreases) over last year. Granted, Inglis’s figures were compiled before the final draft budget was approved.

Emergency Services (according to Inglis) received a large raise, 39.3 per cent, going to $98,091 in 2024 from $70,410 in 2023.

Excluding the building department (up 33 per cent), which must be self-funded by legislation, a rather nebulous category named Sundry went up 106 per cent, to $93,876 in 2024 from $45,526 in 2023.

Recreation was down 34 per cent and Libraries were up 17.8 per cent.