Build Belleville financial details demanded
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As $91 million in city infrastructure upgrades move through the pipeline some councillors are demanding more than just timeline updates from the Mayor’s Implementation Team.
Coun. Paul Carr called for MIT to not only report back to council on the tenders and project schedules but also provide more details on cost, financing and how each bill will be paid.
“I want the status report to include financials, including the funding source,” Carr said. “There is a lot of moving parts and it’s a good a idea to let the public know how we’re funding it and what are the funding sources. There is some long-term debt included as well.”
Council’s plan to invest more into increasing the output of information about Build Belleville projects also created some concern for Coun. Mitch Panciuk.
He said the communication plan submitted indicates up to $8,000 being spent monthly on staffing along with newspaper and radio advertisements.
“Is this something that the MIT will oversee?,” Panciuk asked. “Is this costs a recommendation to us for consideration?”
“When you look at a budget of $5,500 to $8,000 a month to communicate to the citizens about something that they’re already paying for, seems to me to be a little much.”
He said the city already distributes a magazine and “I think that’s more than sufficient in terms of letting people know about how we’re spending their money. To spend more money on that per month seems to be excessive.”
The communications plan was considered as a way to enhance public knowledge about the projects, said Rod Bovay, director of engineering. The city did do radio advertisements throughout 2014.
“There was no specific request made to council for the communication plan. This was a way to refresh and sort of step up communication,” Bovay said. “There was some concern that the information wasn’t getting out enough to the community.”
City staff said funds are being dispensed from the broader Build Belleville budget earmarked for each project.
Mayor Taso Christopher said plans to provide video and text updates via online, radio and print is deemed necessary at this stage.
“To this day I haven’t heard any resistance at all,” Christopher said, adding concerned residents can schedule meetings with staff to discuss communication spending and other issues.
Council also heard a public information session is scheduled for Feb. 4, at the Pinnacle Street Build Belleville Centre to discuss intersection upgrades along the Sidney Street corridor, from Tracey Street to Bell Boulevard. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m
Jason.miller@sunmedia.ca