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A special Committee of the Whole meeting was held on January 12th, 2023. This is the second of two special budget meetings where Departments present the draft 2023 budget. Presentations from senior staff took place throughout the day for members of Council to consider the various capital and operating budget requests from municipal departments, which on this day, included the Mississippi Mills Public Library, Corporate Services, Clerks, Childcare, Recreation and Economic Development.
The Mississippi Mills Public Library operate branches in Almonte and Pakenham. In 2022, nearly 100,000 physical items were circulated, an increase of 36% from 2021. Some of these items include frisbee golf discs, museum and park passes, ukuleles, jigsaw puzzles and knit kits. The draft 2023 budget includes Almonte branch roof repairs, technology and facility upgrades.
Corporate Services consists of Council, Facilities, Finance and Human Resources/Information Technology. The draft 2023 budget includes a Digital Master Plan, roof repairs to various municipal buildings, repairs and refinish elements at Almonte Old Town Hall, and increased IT security and business continuity. The Clerk’s department budget will focus on digitization, implementing components of the Digital Master Plan and governance review. The CAO also provided members with a loan summary. The municipality’s loan position is healthy according to provincial standards. A notable increase in the 2023 budget is approximately a $150,000 increase in legal services. This increase is as a result of a growing number of legal matters that the municipality has a duty to defend. The amount of legal matter also has implications on the insurance renewal rates which were shared with members.
Mississippi Mills Childcare Services (MMCS) celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and changed its name from Almonte Daycare Centre. MMCS has a capacity of 379 children and has four locations across the municipality. The draft 2023 budget includes roof replacement, building repairs and assessing expansion needs.
Recreation and Culture oversees more than 20 parks throughout Mississippi Mills, sports and leisure activities for seniors, adults and youth, facilities including arenas, ball diamonds and basketball courts, as well as coordinates various events including Canada Day celebrations, Light Up The Night and Santa Claus parades. The 2023 draft budget includes mechanical system upgrades, Wellness Trail fitness equipment and dock improvements at Riverfront Park in Almonte.
The role of Community Economic Development is to revitalize communities, promote sustainability, attract investments, build wealth, encourage entrepreneurship, and create jobs. The draft 2023 budget includes creating an Economic Development Plan, support for municipal events, promotion and tourism, municipal grants and funding support to museums in Mississippi Mills.
For a more in depth look at each of the department’s background and budget items, click here.
Budget Next Steps:
- Public Engagement: January 20 to February 10, 2023 - Public survey seeking input on the 2023 Budge will be circulated and available for pick up at municipal buildings.
- Tuesday, February 28, 2023 6:00 pm: Present survey results and finalize the budget with Committee of the Whole.
- Tuesday, March 14, 2023 6:00 pm: Council to approve the 2023 budget.
Upcoming Meetings:
- Hybrid Council Meeting and Bicentennial Launch – January 17th, 2023 at 6:00 pm Committee of the Whole Meeting to follow Council.
All meetings are open to the public. Please watch for the public survey which will be available soon!
