Instead of budgeting for one year at a time, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury will now budget for three, Committee of the Whole voted this week.
“I have full confidence in our staff that they understand our direction,” said Deputy Mayor James Leduc at a May 7 committee meeting. “We have that belt on them so tight now that there’s no loophole to put another hole in there to pull their pants up.”
BWG council must still vote on the committee’s decision at a later date to make it official.
Since the entire council is doing its second term together, Mayor Rob Keffer pointed out the same team has now done five budget together and is confident it can handle three years at a time.
“We do expect a tight budget,” Keffer said, noting each year’s budget will still be reviewed annually to see if any changes are needed.
“This isn’t going to be magical,” said Coun. Gary Baynes. “I don’t know how we can predict one year let alone three years, but we have a good shot at all the other things we are in control of.”
Along with the municipal portion of BWG’s annual budget, the library, police, education, and Simcoe County also have portions.
With BWG investigating the possibility of becoming a separated city through the province’s current governance review, Leduc added the town may soon not have to worry about the county’s portion of its budget.
“I can predict maybe in a couple years we’ll only be dealing with police and our budget and the library — and the education, we never worry about that,” he said. “We might not have to worry about the county’s estimates. I look forward to that.”
