The general manager of the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority presented its budget to Bluewater council Monday night.
Brian Horner explains for the past few years member municipal councils have asked that the increase be kept to around 2% and Horner says that's the number the board was aiming for again this year. Horner says the initial increase was about 5.8% and the board members said that was too high and in the end, they got it down to two percent across the board, although Bluewater's increase was just under that.
Horner points out everyone would like to see a 0% increase but the board believes if you don't keep up with inflation, you're falling behind so they were pleased with the 2% increase and the budget could come to a vote at Thursday's board meeting.
“We met the targets that our board set. We originally showed them at, I believe the first one was at 5.8%. They said that wasn't enough. They asked to keep the target at two percent and we came to that and that's what we've sent out to all of the municipalities," he says Horner. "The way it is with inflation, if you keep your budget at zero percent, you're probably falling behind. So our board, we're fortunate that they recognize that you kind of keep increasing consistent with inflation and the two percent, we think that's what it is.”
The board could vote on the budget as early as this Thursday.
