$2.7-million capital budget eyed

Town of Yarmouth looks at its capital expenditures

The Town of Yarmouth is looking to spend roughly $2.76 million on capital projects in the 20182019 fiscal year.

Town council debated its draft capital list at a Feb. 1 committee of the whole meeting, approving a motion to have council approve the list, which is very pro-infrastructure.

“It’s not glamourous work, but it’s important,” said Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood.

A Parade Street-Glebe Street sewer replacement and separation project is in the budget with 10 per cent of the town’s $1.04-million share of the project budgeted for this year. The need to ensure there is detailed communication with potentially affected businesses ahead of the project taking place was discussed.

The capital budget calls for setting aside $350,000 for street paving in the 2018-19 fiscal year with the demolition of a Glebe Street garage used by public works budgeted at $500,000.

The town is setting aside $150,000 to put towards increasing downtown parking opportunities. Initially the figure has been $300,000 but the town needed to cut $555,750 in capital expenditures from the overall list to meet its available funding so some projects were bumped or scaled down.

Another expense is $175,000 for transit buses. The town is purchasing a second accessible transit bus due to ongoing mechanical and repair work for its existing bus. When that bus is not in service, the town can’t provide accessible transportation for people with disabilities and mobility issues.

Also needing replacement is the town’s street cleaner at a cost of $325,000. This is a purchase that has been bumped from previous capital budgets.

Other areas of capital spending for the 2018-19 fiscal year include a Starrs Road multi-purpose trail, second-floor fire separation and washroom renovations for the fire hall, new sidewalks and replacement of town equipment.

The Starrs Road/ Pleasant Street intersection is on tap for $75,000 in capital expenditure. This includes money for design work to look at having vehicleactuated traffic lights there. The town would budget $425,000 towards this intersection the following year.

Other projects that have been talked about more publicly because they’ve been in the news more won’t see capital spending this fiscal year. Still, the town is looking ahead to when spending may occur. It is estimating/guesstimating what its share of some projects would be when (or if) these projects move forward. None of these project costs are official.

See FERRY, page A2