The Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-03-27, Page 2Page 2
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The Lueknow. Bantamslost the first game of. the.
OMH.A `finals against Langton on Sunday, 5 to:34,
Goalie Adam. Cameron Makes a pad save here as
'def encemen Rob McGee (22) and Ban• Moffat
ready themselves for opposing forwards. (Pat
Livingston photo)
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Special price without coupon 1.99
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OUR COM'LIMUMEN"S.
Ridged •
Potat�-
+o g has
Bu€ige� defended
as responsible
Qfrrout Fl e 1
Southampton Reeve Art
Eby, why the minuscule
increase at ally
Finance chairman Norm.
Amiens defended the bud-
get, calling it "realistic arid;
responsible." He said
because provincial funding
cuts and resultng:staff cuts
,wereimposed part way
through the year, the county
should take a conservative
approach to its finances for
1996 while department
adjust to the changes.
"We want to be careful.,
consideringall the changes,.
We're confident in -this bud-
get but we have to be con-
servative," Annetts. said.
"We have to be realistic and
realize theremay be some •
shortfalls. Also we have to.
prepare ourselves for 1997.°"
It was a move to boost
the., county's working
reserve that upset most
councillors. The working
reserve fund, intended to
save borrowing costs by
providing short-term cash
flow for the county, now
stands at about $1.5 million
and was slated for ,another:
$39,009. injection. .
"I have a problem putting
so much into the working
reserve," said Lindsay
Reeve Milt McIver. "We're
all strivingnot to increase
taxes. 1 think ,the county is
sitting with ak"good cushion
here for next : year and the
following year."
On its auditor's advice,
the .county began a few
years ago to build up a $ 1
million working reserve
fund. It came close to reach-
ing :that goal in 1994 and
got a boost at the end of
1995 when an.: unexpected
surplus of $539,000 was
transferred into the account.
That brought the working
Yogurt
500 g Tub
•
61b. . Bag
PRODUCT OF ONTARIO MoINTOSHOR IDA
CUT FROM OANAC A GRADE A/�
8.80 Kg.
"QHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE".
Assorted hrr
reserve to' . $1,446,000 but
Adrni.nistrator Wayne
Jamieson said none of the
money is sitting Idle, As. 'of
Mar. .19, the county, had
1.5 .million in::accounts
receivable,. most of it related
to various provincial grants.
Jamieson said the size of
the accounts receivable file
proves the need for a larger
workingreserve than the
auditors recommended. But
_when councillors learned
trimming the fund: by
$32,700 would. eliminate
the need for a mill rate
increase, they demariled a
change in the budget.
"I"d like to see the com-
mittee take a second look
(at the budget)," said Brant
Reeve David Thomson,
calling for a cut that will
give ratepayers a zero per
cent increase in the mill
rate.
Jamieson warned holding
the line this year might
leave the county with even
tougher choices next year,
when a minimum $800,000
provincial grant cut is
expected.
"I would rather see a small
increase this year and
maybe next than completely
wipe out our services or
have a big increase,"
Jamieson said. He said the
21 full-ti`me positions elimi-
nated ;ifi. the 1996 budget
equals, 17 per cent o1 the
workforce and predicted
that kind of cost saving cut
might not be possible in
future budgets:
In spite of that advice,
councillors voted over-
whelmingly to hold the line
on taxes.
"People kind of expert a
zero per cent increase," Said
Elderslie Reeve •C irrnan
Fullerton.
udget highlights
.*The overall budget for 1996.is. $1 million smaller than
last year at.. $10.6 : million. Thecounty took a 24.5 per
cent cut in provincial funding: this year, and faces a 19
per cent increase in insurance costs.
*General government expenses are budgetted to be down
80 percent this yeapbecause of staffing cuts•and a reduc-
tion is the number, of Committee 'meetings for county
councillors. At the same time, that 'account will be boost-
ed by in increase in rental and investment income,
*The social services budget for 1996 is down 8 pei cent
partly due to the reduction in welfare rates. Meanwhile a
change in the funding formula for county homes means a
24 per cent drop`in cost for the county.
*Tile museum and librari°y both lost funding in the 1996
budget.` The Museum's operating, grant is down 22 per
cent white the librrar is•diown 4 per cent, The•library will
also have to make up for a`$20,000 pay equity subsidy
that was cancelled by the province, a cut in provincial
grant, and: a previous deficit, With the news that its plan
to. collect $50,000 to user fees hasto ,g0 011, hold, the
libraty board is now predicting a system .Shut down will
be required to balance the budget
*Bruce countyy is`debt•fiec' according to the 1905 budget.
The budgets for wast management, 911 and theofficial
plan update have been significantly reduced as those pro-
jects move toward completion