A designated staff target of four per cent increase for the 2025 Tay Township budget was closely adhered to during the first draft, as discussed at a recent special meeting of council.
While a second draft of the budget and its revisions was anticipated to be addressed at an upcoming meeting tentatively scheduled for February 13, questions and suggestions made in the first draft were limited while council received the report for information.
The day began with four scheduled budget presentations from several local boards and agencies.
The Georgian Bay General Hospital (and Foundation) thanked council for over $500,000 in contributions over the years, and highlighted physician recruitments, the installation of an MRI unit, a priority of funding toward mammography imaging, and an upcoming mental health campaign as just a few items where the township investments would be allocated.
A presentation by the Tay Township Public Library board touched upon much-needed renovation and maintenance for the three municipal facilities, but while a 10-year forecast was on hold while discussions on the buildings were pending, the presented budget kept to council’s request for a four per cent increase in part to reinstated overdue library fees.
Members of the Economic Development Corporation of North Simcoe (EDCNS) presented their budget and requests for the councils of Midland, Penetanguishene, and townships of Tiny and Tay, with one question about funding formulas being reflected back to the efforts of Tay treasurer Emmie Carlson in deciphering the calculations for each municipality last summer.
Promoted heavily by EDCNS members during the presentation was an innovation hub, which through key performance indicators (KPI) in the last quarter of 2024 noted that 14 clients and 1090 jobs had resulted, generating $70 million annually. A request of $75,000 was made, based on population within North Simcoe.
The Severn Sound Environmental Association also attended with a presentation showing the "interconnectivity" of the watershed across the region, and requesting nearly $160,000 for Tay’s part of the joint-member municipalities within the organization. Board chair Steffen Walma also noted that a re-examination of the memorandum of understanding could occur in this year's second quarter.
At the end of the meeting, the EDCNS and SSEA were given criticism by some council members doubting their separate values, with Mayor Ted Walker suggesting that further discussion would be had at the next draft budget meeting in February as other North Simcoe councils made their decisions on funding the groups.
The draft budget was given a brief overview along with department summaries by Carlson during the meeting, as the township was facing a $10.4 million taxation requirement and additional $1.9 million in funding for policing for 2025.
A cost-of-living adjustment of three per cent had been noted, along with increases to salaries and benefits from a compensation review approved in October.
“(To staff), I think you’ve done a great job in coming as close to our target as you have,” said Walker following Carlson’s presentation. “There might be some room there, from some of the discussions we’ve had today.”
The first draft budget for 2025, including slideshow presentations from various groups, can be found in the agenda page on the Tay Township website.
Tay council meets for committee of the whole meetings every second Wednesday of the month, and regular council meetings every fourth Wednesday of the month. Archives and livestreams of council meetings are available through the Tay Township YouTube channel.