City council begins 2024 budget deliberations on Monday (Dec. 4) and the adjusted tax levy comes in at a 3.76 per cent increase.
Keep in mind this is a preliminary look at the budget and in recent years, council has been able to shave up to a percentage point off the initial levy figure.
The proposed levy for the coming year is a shade under $69 million, which is an increase of $4.2 million over this year.
When you factor in $1.7 million in additional growth-related tax, the levy increase drops to $2.4 million, which is a 3.76 per cent increase over this year.
Contractual increases in wages and benefits – $2.5 million – and wages and benefits for new positions next year – $1.4 million – are the biggest contributors to the tax levy increase.
What is important to note is the requested grant funding to St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital – $2.5 million – and the Hospice of Elgin – at $600,000 – are not included in the 2024 budget, to help offset the larger-than-normal levy increase projected, according to director of finance Dan Sheridan.
In his report to council he added, “However, civic administration is recommending that should council wish to approve these expenditures, annual amounts, prorated across a 10-year period, could be initiated in 2025.
“Adding one-tenth of the grants to the 2024 budget would increase the proposed levy to 4.25%.”
Not sure if the majority of council wants to take that direction without cutting a significant amount out of the budget to compensate.
In total for next year, the city is looking at adding 15.55 full-time equivalent positions, six of those with the police service.
The normally spendthrift police budget request comes in at $15.7 million, an 8.34 per cent increase over 2023.
There are other factors influencing the St. Thomas Police Service budget and the item below is based on a lengthy conversation with Chief Marc Roskamp.
On the capital side of the budget, proposed expenditures total $52.1 million.
In total, 48 capital projects are recommended for approval by council.
Complete Streets roadworks projects top the list at $9.2 million, Kains Street reconstruction comes in at $5.7 million and here is a pleasant surprise with the animal shelter green-lighted at almost $3.7 million.
Six projects have not been recommended for approval including $200,000 for the replacement of a shelter at Pinafore Park.
The addition of a cricket pitch at Cowan Park – an estimated total cost of $175,000 – didn’t make the cut, which will be a disappointment to quite a few in the community and surrounding area.
2024 POLICE BUDGET – WISE INVESTMENTS YIELD RESULTS
At first glance, the 8.34 per cent increase in the St. Thomas Police Service operating budget seems rather high although last year the budget increase was in the 6.3 per cent range.
However, when you look at other departments at city hall, this is far from the highest increase when it comes to budget requests for next year.
For example, the city manager is asking for a 22.4 per cent increase next year although her budget is only $646,000.
Human resources is asking for a budget hike of 11.2 per cent, 21.4 per cent in Recreational Services, 13.6 per cent in Parks, 20.9 in Property Maintenance, 22.2 in Planning, 9.3 per cent in Economic Development and 8.6 per cent in Library Services.
Nevertheless, the police service is a high-profile operation and an area susceptible to criticism and finger-pointing.
So, we sat down at length late last month with Chief Roskamp to shed some light on the service’s 2024 budget request.
The greatest impact comes from the five-year collective agreement signed this fall which will see 3 per cent wage increases for uniform and civilian members of the force in 2024 along with incremental pay increases and OMERS adjustments.
The current deal expires at the end of this year.
It is a contract deemed “groundbreaking” and one which is likely to be emulated across the province.
The service is creating a Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) consisting of highly trained officers drawn from existing sworn personnel. The team will be dedicated to safely containing situations involving armed or dangerous individuals.
“frontline officers have been increasingly responsible for much more than the core functions of public safety.”
There is a one-time $200,000 expense needed to create and equip the team.
Four new officers will be hired along with two new civilian members.
This will help alleviate staffing shortfalls with four officers off on long-term WSIB medical leaves, two on long-term accommodation and two on temporary modified duties.
Roskamp stressed the 2024 budget “ensures staffing meets the growth of our city, accounts for the delivery of adequate and effective policing services amidst an unprecedented environment, addresses recruitment and retention challenges and ensures member wellness.”
He referenced the Crime Severity Index which has increased throughout the province and specifically in St. Thomas by 13 per cent (2021-22).
The service is logging 25,000 calls for service annually, 60,000 calls into the communications centre and 15,000 9-1-1 calls according to police figures, thus the increase in the crime severity index.
“With this increase,” stressed Roskamp, “we are seeing police resources stretched thin.”
“Real and transformative change has been occurring in St. Thomas and the police service must continue to modernize strategies to account for this growth.”
This reflects a shift in the types of crime and disorder issues now visible in the city, most notably downtown.
Roskamp pointed out, “frontline officers have been increasingly responsible for much more than the core functions of public safety.”
He continued, “Local problems need local solutions.
“That means creating space for more community-focused and preventative approaches and scaling up new and existing service delivery models in all sectors.
“Real and transformative change has been occurring in St. Thomas and the police service must continue to modernize strategies to account for this growth.”
One area where the service has been particularly aggressive is pursuing provincial grants with over $2 million in grant revenue on the books for next year.
An example announced late last month is a grant for almost $609,000 to help combat auto theft through new and enhanced crime-fighting measures that focus on prevention, detection, analysis and enforcement.
“Our community deserves to feel safe and to be safe. They rightfully expect and deserve safety and well-being in their community. Equally important are the workload conditions for those delivering the policing services. Burnout is real and ensuring the mental resiliency of those serving our community requires attention.”
The total revenue projected from provincial grants in 2024 is almost $2.8 million, which is 17.6 per cent of the budget.
Roskamp continued, “The 2024 budget lays out a one-year plan to provide exceptional police services, recruit, retain, provide member wellness and upscale training.
“Wise investments yield results.”
In a conversation with St. Thomas Police Services Board chair Dan Reith in October he observed, “We are running lean. Retired chief (Chris) Herridge and Chief Roskamp in his role as Deputy Chief did an incredible job at squeezing the budget as tight as they could and civilianizing as many jobs as possible.
“But, in the process, we are saving some money in doing that but we’re also losing talent. But, that’s what happens when you squeeze a budget as tight as we have because the service under retired chief Herridge was very cognizant of the city’s request of tighten that budget.”
You just have to look at some comparative budget figures.
Woodstock with 96 officers has a budget this year of $19.4 million.
Timmins also operates with 96 officers with an $18.1 million budget while the St. Thomas Police Service has 77 officers with a 2023 budget of $14.5 million.
Roskamp added, “Transforming, modernization and civilianization have been strategies that our police service has been involved in for years.
“We have produced lean budgets in recent years.”
Roskamp concluded the discussion by noting, “Our community deserves to feel safe and to be safe. They rightfully expect and deserve safety and well-being in their community.
“Equally important are the workload conditions for those delivering the policing services. Burnout is real and ensuring the mental resiliency of those serving our community requires attention.”
I don’t anticipate the police service 2024 budget request is going to face much in the way of headwinds when deliberations begin Monday.
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NO SMOOTH SAILING FOR ECRM LAND SEVERANCE
An application by Doug Tarry to sever the 3.23 hectares of land west of the Elgin County Railway Museum (ECRM) “for the purpose of assembling lands for future residential development purposes” is back before city council on Monday.
Along with it, the letter to mayor and council from Ed van der Maarel, architect and heritage consultant, in response to Tarry’s application and the Aug. 24 committee of adjustment meeting dealing with the application.
In his letter to members he called for the city to undertake a Secondary Plan stressing, “there are a number of concerns that we would like to bring to council’s attention prior to the acceptance of the severance of the lands and future development of the centre of our city.
“We feel that the preparation of a Secondary Plan would be the next appropriate step to address public concerns and develop a cohesive urban design plan for the City of St. Thomas.”
He reminded council the property in question is designated under the Downtown Heritage Conservation District.
“Since the property is part of these designations, the severance would erode the contextual value of the
lands which are part of the designation and value to the railway theme promoting St. Thomas as ‘The
Railway City.’
“Staff are of the opinion that any consideration for this option should ensure that this process be funded by stakeholders/landowners in the area and led by the municipality and its consultant.”
“This is similar to the designation of Pinafore Park and its contextual value as whole, property, buildings, and elements.”
There is a link below to van der Maarel’s letter.
In his report to council for Monday’s meeting, Lou Pompilii, director of planning & building services offers several options for council’s consideration.
1. Receive the letter and subject report and maintain the status quo with regard to any future development/Redevelopment in this area whereby proponents would go through existing approvals processes in place at the time of the proposal.
2. Designate this area and surrounding lands as a Special Policy Area in the City’s Official Plan.
3. Refer this matter to the Official Plan Review Update that is currently underway, as an area that warrants
the undertaking of a Secondary Plan.
Should council choose Option 3, Pompilii cautions, “The city’s current Official Plan does not include guidance for establishing a Secondary Plan, however, this is a specific direction that staff will be advancing as we update our current plan.
“Staff are of the opinion that any consideration for this option should ensure that this process be funded by stakeholders/landowners in the area and led by the municipality and its consultant.”
In other words, the financial burden should not fall upon ratepayers.
As an alternative to a referral, council could also direct staff to seek stakeholder/property owner interest
in initiating a Secondary Plan for this area and report back on their findings.
Council members have their work cut out for them on this thorny issue and the railway museum and Tarry, no doubt, assumed the land severance issue had been resolved some time ago.
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St. Thomas area growth triggers major realignment of roads and highways
ROUNDABOUT SUBJECT OF PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
A public information centre to update residents on the Kains Street construction project attracted several dozen people to city hall Tuesday evening.
The undertaking includes a roundabout at Kains and St. Catharine streets.
Karen Rivers, owner of the Dixie Dairy Bar located at the intersection had her concerns addressed for the most part but she is still opposed.
“I do believe they have been addressed, but I just think it’s a waste of the taxpayers’ money. A couple of stop signs, sure I understand you have to fix the water mains, I understand that.
“It’s an old area, but you don’t need to put in a roundabout, c’mon.”
A petition with over 200 names opposed to the roundabout was presented to city council at the Nov. 6 meeting. There was unanimous support from council on a motion to refer the petition to city staff with a report to come back to council.
The project includes a multi-use trail along the north side of Kains Street from the Scott Street parking lot to the London & Port Stanley trail and bike lanes continuing from the L&PS trail to Alma Street.
Pedestrian crossings are planned at the L&PS trail, Flora Street and Horton Street.
Paving of the Scott Street and Upper St. Catharine Street parking lots is also planned as part of the work.
Rivers is worried about the impact on her business during construction and beyond with the completion of the roundabout.
“I can’t close. My whole life is in this business, seriously.
“And, I told my customers, no I can’t. This is going to stay open, whether I like it or not. I’m not closing for nothing.
“They will have to accommodate me because this is my livelihood.”
When completed, Scott and Curtis streets would be converted to two-way traffic with calming measures and pedestrian crossings.
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