Saugeen Shores is preparing for its first budget cycle with the new Strong Mayor Powers, but little is expected to change in the process.
The Director of Corporate Services presented a report to council this week on how the budget process would proceed, and the timeline is the same as always, only now, the budget is the Mayor's responsibility.
However, at the meeting, Mayor Luke Charbonneau gave direction to the CAO and Director of Corporate Services to prepare the proposed budget for the next eight years.
Staff will still bring the proposed budget back on November 12, and Charbonneau said the changes actually give council more chances for input.
"It's not so bad in one respect, in that you will actually have more meetings at which to amend the budget than ever before," he told council. "Between the introduction on November 12 and 30 days later, there's four council meetings, two budget meetings and two regular council meetings; at any of which, you could introduce an amendment, so there's going to be a fair bit of opportunity to introduce amendments."
Making amendments to the proposed budget is the main way council will shape its vision, but Charbonneau said members can also speak with staff ahead of time to share their thoughts.
"From my perspective, you do exactly what you've always done, meet with the CAO or the Director of Corporate Services and say this something I'm interested in seeing done... have those discussions with administration and they will handle that in they way they always have. Some will get incorporated if it fits with the administration's outlook; if it doesn't, it will get added as a set of council requests that will likely come forward outside the budget as part of the package that's presented to council," he said.
The mayor does have power to veto amendments to the final budget, but Charbonneau has pledged to not use that power.
Staff said the budget will be deemed adopted on December 12, 30 days after it's presented.
The tax ratios, fees and levy by-laws will be brought forward to Council on January 12, 2026.