mike cluett

Milton Town Budget Increasing by 3.24%

Mike Cluett

UPDATE 2:58pm…

For the record folks, I love it when people post comments on the blog. It shows there’s an active interest in what I’ve got to say.

Normally I allow any post on here unless its spam.

I know the idea of tax increases isn’t the most popular topic and it usually meets with a more emotional response than let’s say what’s going on at town hall on New Years Eve.

What I won’t post is comments with excessive swearing or nasty personal attacks against anyone. I’ve deleted a few comments already today and will continue to do so. I love free speech but when you get nasty and personal against anyone, the comment goes.

I love constructive comments and keep them coming. Its good debate that will drive good policy in the future.

Thanks everyone! – Mike

Just before midnight last night, Milton Town Council approved the 2010 captial and operating budgets and will bring it to council on December 14th for ratification.

There are normally 2 days set aside for budget deliberations and the first session usually goes into the wee hours of the morning, but as budget chair Brian Penman said “we do our best work before 11pm”

I personally arrived after 9pm to a slightly empty gallery for the public which surprised me.  I know sitting down and discussing capital projects and per centages of development charges isnt the most “exciting” way to spend a Monday night in Milton but judging from what people had told me about this years budget, I thought there would be more people attending.

Wondering aloud last night, I would really like to know what the cost would be to stream these budget and council meetings would be.  The Region of Halton has the ability to stream its meetings and keep an archive as well.  How much do you pay for bandwith right?  Thats another story.

Getting back to the meeting, it seemed that very few had things to say about the contents of the capital budget with the exception of Paul Scherer, councillor for ward 4.  As each division of the town got its say for how much money they requested, Paul had a few things to say about each of them.  The biggest point he wanted to make was to move the project for expansion of Louis St Laurent from Bronte Street to Regional Road 25 up from 2011 to 2010.  The few of us in the crowd chuckled with Paul asked “can we afford both”  By both he was talking about the Main Street grading project that for several years now has been put on the back burner and postponed.  These postponments have essentially increased the costs of the project and it needs to be done.  Paul wanted to know if they could do both projects in 2010 instead of Main Street in 2010 and Louis St Laurent in 2011.

The gallery chuckled slightly after looking at a few spreadsheets on her computer,  Linda Leeds, the treasurer calmy replied…”Yes!”  The additional cost?  $5.9 million. 

This cost wouldnt be taken on by the taxpayer as projects like this are funded from development charges that are paid by builders, and not residential rate payers.

Colin Best, regional councilor, brought up some property issues near that intersection and wanted to wait until the town finalized ownership before moving ahead the project.  There were some issues with Lower Base Line bridge a couple of years back where the project was approved but the town didnt own some property, therefore a bridge to nowhere.

In the end, the project will move forward.  This means that residents who live on the west side of town by Bronte Street and Derry will have another outlet out of town instead of just Derry Road.  With the underpass construction also moved up by the Region, it means that these two projects might be going on at the same time, handcuffing local residents.

What got more people involved in the budget discussion was the operating  side of things.  This is the budget that affects us as taxpayers, seeing how these items are funded by the property taxes we pay.

Town Staff had come in with a potential tax increase of 4.9% but were asked to see what can be removed/postponed to get to a “more reasonable” increase of 2.9%

Transit was a hot issue as usual.  Paul Scherer said that he supported the idea of transit but right now its not working properly and questioned the additional expenditures.  Councillors Wendy Schau stated that this type of investment in transit was vital to the growth in Milton.  Especially our young children need to start using transit so “they will get used to it” as they get older.  Councillor Jan Mowbray and Cindy Lunau also joined in with the support of the new routes, fare collection system as well as moving up new route designs for 2010.  In a close vote, it passed and the new routes on the west side of town are a go ahead.  There is also going to be an increase the in fares for a ride from $2.00 per ride to $2.50 and if you get ten ride tickets, it goes from $20 to 22 starting in the new year.

Library was another issue that got the discussion going as potential cuts to staff at the Beaty Branch and reduced hours were on the block for 2010.  Jan Mowbray said it didnt make sense to open a library and then begin to cut the staff right away.  Again, in a close vote the motions to keep the cuts stayed.

Those were the highlights and again, I wasnt there all night and didnt see Linda’s presentation to council of the budget.  In the end the budget has been increased by 3.24% for 2010.

I dont envy the people in this process one bit.  There are some hard decisions that have to be made in order to limit the impact on the taxypayer in Milton.  I found Paul to be the most vocal when it came to asking questions of staff as to why these increases are needed and asked for other members of council to comment as well.

Here is the link to the Town of Milton’s budget page to see the links for 2010, 2009 and other budget documents.

On another point, it was nice to see Melanie Hennessey from the Milton Canadian Champion back in the press box after her time away with her son.  Not that I didnt like Tim (because I do) but its good to see Melanie back!  Look for her report on the budget in the Champion later this week.

Ring In 2010 Town of Milton Style

Mike Cluett

From www.milton.ca Milton residents and visitors are invited to help Mayor Gord Krantz ring in 2010. An informal gathering will take place around the historic bell in Victoria Park on New Years Eve!

Bruce Carlin of the Milton Historic Society has been chosen to ring the bell to bring in 2010. As you will see by the information below, the honour of ringing the bell has been given to some great Miltonians.

As well, the very next day at the New Years Levee, the town of Milton will be honouring the next 7 inductee’s into Miltons WALK OF FAME.

They include the following.

Matthew Banks, Actor (HINT: You might know him from the BLUE MAN GROUP!)

Gail Brown, Scottish Bag Pipe Player

Father Mark Curtis, Musician

Dr. Clarkson Freeman, Surgeon

 Bob Izumi, Professional Angler and Author

Peter “Hard Rock” McMullen, Professional Wrestler

Dr WM Edgar Robertson, Missionary Doctor

Growth expected for long time to come

Mike Cluett

As an avid reader (and participant) in my daily travels to the Hawthorne Villager, the topic of growth is one that never seems to die down.  Some like it and some dont.  Some want it to stop now that they’re living here and some accept it as inevitable change.

Growth in Milton, as with other municipalities is mandated by the Province.  They produce guidelines and directions for the town and its up to the local council to marry those needs with reality.  There are number of projects being worked on within our borders that will contribute to that growth, such as the Derry Green Business Park east of James Snow Parkway and the intensification of Main Street from JSP to Bronte Street.  There have been a lot of numbers thrown around from 150,000 to 175,000 and even up to over 300,000!!!

At a recent Chamber of Commerce breakfast, the Town Planner Bill Mann told the business community at large the population of Milton could reach anywhere from 300,000 to 350,000 in the coming years.  This doesnt mean we’ll be at that point anytime soon as there are many decades worth of development to go through to get to that.

I found those comments, which are detailed by Tim Foran at the Milton Canadian Champion article, interesting along with a letter to the editor against growth in Milton.

Here is the letter by Linda Arone.

DEAR EDITOR:

My husband and I met in 2002. At that time I lived in Mississauga and he lived in Vaughan.

Our dates and weekend getaways were always in the Milton area, at conservation parks, tourist farms, farmers’ market, etc. We loved the quiet charm, the small-town culture and the friendly people of Milton.

In 2006, when we got married, our obvious decision was to purchase a home in Milton. To our disappointment, this town has continued to grow beyond its capacity, and I find myself sitting in more traffic now than ever before and being cut off by extremely inconsiderate and aggressive drivers.

So as a relatively new resident of Milton, I feel for the Miltonians of 20-plus years ago, but I also sympathize with all the newcomers who had hoped to start a new life in the lovely, close-knit and safe little town we used to know as Milton.

LINDA ARONE, MILTON

 

Late night shopping in downtown Milton

Mike Cluett

Nothing to do this Friday night?  How about head to Downtown Milton where a selected number of businesses will be opening for some late night Christmas shopping.  I’ll try to get a list of ALL the merchants who will be open during this time but a good friend of mine Judy over at Oceana Whispers (THE best place for flowers in Milton!) sent me this invitation!

Oceana Whispers is located at 13 Charles Street (beside the Royal Canadian Legion) Unit 104 in downtown Milton.  If you are looking to get out of the dog house or give some holiday cheer to a loved one, Judy’s selection is outstanding and quality is second to none!  Check out Judy’s blog here as well as on Facebook.  Just tell her I sent you 🙂

Along with Oceana Whispers, stores like Milton Shoes and Leather Centre (in Carriage Square) and A Country Mile will be open until 11pm.  Late night shopping with special pricing as well.  Downtown Milton cant be beat!

A Step in the Right Direction

Mike Cluett

The rain came down last night but that didnt damper the spirits of over 10 people who attended a town hall-style meeting at the Milton Sports Centre put on by Regional Councilor Colin Best on the upcoming budgets for Halton and Milton.

There were lots of questions given to Colin regarding different items on the budget including the increased investment in transit for new buses, plans for new routes and improvements to service.  The Arts and Entertainment centre / Public Library was also discussed with the added investments from both the provincial and federal levels of government…stimulus funding.

In order to get these projects funded, they have to be shovel ready and be completed by March 2011.  Plans are also underway with that extra funding for enhancements to Tonelli area as well as the Nassagawaya Tennis Club.

Other items on the docket were the Region of Halton’s proposal for a 0% increase to the 2010 budgets and how they can do it.  It seems great that 0% is being discussed but when you look at the economy the way it is now, and how slow our recovery might be in the coming years does that mean 0% in 2010 and a higher increase in 2011?

This was the first time Colin held a meeting like this so we really didnt know what to expect but it was great to see new faces of people who are genuinely interested in the direction the town and the region is going with funding of certain projects.

I’ve always said that these types of meetings are vital to ensuring a higher level of communication between the tax payer and government.  Now you might say only 10 people showed up but thats a start.  Its been said that some councillors have tried to have these meetings and it hasnt worked out.  This isnt something that you “try” to do, its something that you MUST do.

The days of quarterly newsletters to the public are over.  If in fact they ever existed here in Milton (I’ve never received anything other than the Town of Milton newsletter) that way of doing things isnt being as effective as it once was.

You would have to be living under a rock the last few years to see the impact of “social networking” on our lives as there are not many people I know that arent participating at some level with Facebook, MySpace and Twitter just to name a few.  As you can see by the right hand column, I am one of those and you can contact me here, on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter as well.  This is something that public officials need to get a grasp on in order to communicate with voters.

Some councillors have/had websites during their campaigns but most havent updated it since then, or its for information purposes only.  Colin Best has a site with his contact information and some links to current issues we’re facing.  Ward 3 Councillor Jan Mowbray has a pretty active site that is updated with current information on whats going on in the area, town council and local events.  A quick search on Google shows there is only a few councillors who have websites.  Ward 3 Councillor Cindy Lunau has one…but it hasnt been updated since Oct 2006 as well as regional councillor Barry Lee, Ward 4 Councillor Wendy Schau among others.  Some councillors did have sites but are now gone. 

These tools are not just election tools and have to be used all the time.

Dont get me wrong…thats not the only solution though.  Call me old school, but I still feel elected officials need to get out there and continue to knock on doors in between elections.  It makes a difference as it shows you are accessible and not just waiting until the next time a vote comes along to meet with people one on one.

Ive spoken with other councillors past and present and some have come to the same conclusion as town halls…”I tried and it didnt work.”  Again, it’s not something that you think about doing or try a couple of times.  It has to become a habit.  I know of many federal and provincial elected officials, despite having high-profile ministries to run, still took the time to hit the doors and meet with people to get feedback and it was met with positive results.

Thinking back to the last municipal campaign, the common theme of many of my conversations with people was that they didnt know who their councillor was or the fact they’ve never heard from them after the election.  With dwindling voter turnout over the last several years…at all levels…something has to change in order to get people more motivated and into local politics.

The by-election in Ward 2 in 2007 garnered only 20% voter turnout.  The results were similar here in Ward one in 2006 with roughly 26% of people coming out to vote.  It’s this level of government that impacts us the most directly and we dont take advantage of that ability.  You can pick up the phone and call your councillor and reach them directly (seeing how they dont have any staff) and ask a question, yet many people dont take advantage of it.

Communication is a two-way street.  There has to be an effort on both sides of the equation in order to get the flow of information and have people involved.  It is imperative that our councillors, both at the region and the town, do a better job of getting in front of voters.  Conversely it’s also just as important for voters…you and I… to want to get involved and find out whats going on.  Too many times we find out about tax increases or new fees by reading the local paper or hearing it from a neighbour. 

So while only 10 people showed up at this meeting, I would call it a success and a definite step in the right direction.  I hope that other councillors would start doing the same thing and stick with it.  Thanks again to Colin for taking the time and the effort in helping educate voters on these complicated budget matters and hopefully we are going to see a trend starting…not just during the next year (election year) but beyond.

There IS an election coming next year and its a great question to ask anyone who comes to your door asking for your support and vote…how are you going to communicate with me?  Another question to ask is how can I help you communicate better with me?

Town Hall on 2010 Budget

Mike Cluett

Something is happening in Milton that doesnt happen that often…a town hall meeting.

Over the last several years, and also during the last municipal election, I spoke out at length of the need for more town hall meetings on important issues in Milton.  There are public meetings at town hall on certian items, but when it comes to general issues like taxation, road safety and development there hasnt been a strong effort from our elected officials to inform the community.  Many say the reason is because of low turnout.  If these meetings happened on a more regular basis, it could definatley charge up the people to come out and speak their mind.

The town hall meeting is being held tonight at the Milton Sports Centre by Regional Councilor Colin Best to discuss both the upcoming Milton and Region of Halton budgets.  It starts at 730pm and goes to about 930pm depending on how many people show up.

The budget for the town will be going before council on December 7th and 8th for approval on the 14th.  This is an excellent time to come out, learn about what is on tap for the next year, whats in the captial and operating budget of the town and for you to ask any questions and make comments.

As Colin had mentioned on the Hawthorne Villager Forum, you can also email your questions or comments to his town email colin.best@milton.ca if you cant make it.

I will be doing my best to make it there as well tonight and I hope you can find the time as well.  These issues are important and especially with the election coming up in 2010 the decisions they make now with our money will impact us for years to come.

Milton Sports Centre, Room #2 at 730pm

colin b.
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:39 am    Post subject: Budget Open House
For anyone interested in the 2010 Regional and Town budgets I am hosting an open house in Room #2 next to the north rink at the Milton Sports Centre the Wednesday December 2nd from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. Will have some of the highlights of both capital and current budgets which I have attached.

http://www.halton.ca/About/documents/budget/2010/Executive_Summary.pdf

http://www.milton.ca/corpserv/budget10/Operating_Budget_Summary.pdf
http://www.milton.ca/corpserv/budget10/Capital_Budget_Summary.pdf

I am looking for residents opinions, concerns and ideas on both budgets before I vote on both of them with the Town Budget meetings on December 7th and 8th if necessary and the Regional Budget Review on the 14th and final adoption at the Council meeting on December 16th.

As the budget meetings only have a few people attend every year, I want to bring the budget to you for a public discussion on what is important to you and your family in Milton and Halton.

Hope to see you there.

Colin Best
Local & regional councillor
Member of the Regional Budget Review Committee
www.colinbest.ca