Shelburne looking to cut $200,000 from budget

Shelburne town council will be back at the table on

March 23 to take a second look at its draft budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

The town has to cut $200,000 from the general operating draft budget in order to balance the books. Last year, they had to cut $400,000.

“Certainly, it’s a most difficult budget because the challenges are massive,” said Mayor Karen Mattatall. “We have to cover $200,000. We’re trying to find a way to do that that’s going to be the least detrimental to the overall operations of the town.”

A draft operating budget considered by town council on March 4 had “nothing in that I feel good about because I know it’s going to have a detrimental effect,” said Mattatall. “It’s really a struggle to know where cuts can be made that will cause the least amount of damage.”

When presenting the draft operating budget at the

March 4 meeting, CAO Darren Shupe explained there are mandatory services such as protective services, wastewater treatment and roads that the town must provide, and then there are discretionary services including parks, recreation and events as well as economic and community development.

“With the current challenge, in order to provide mandatory core services discretionary services are often the first to be scaled back,” said Shupe. “That was the case last year.”

A drastic reduction in tourism and events are among the cost-cutting measures proposed in the first draft of the operating budget. The Visitor Information Centre would not be staffed or open for the summer and there would be no funding for Shelburne Celebrates Christmas or Founders Days celebrations.

Reducing tree planting and maintenance, removing Dock Street flowers, turning out the ballfield lights at the Roger Grovestine Recreation Complex and reducing operations at the Graham Park Splash

Pad in July and August are also proposed.

Going into the March 23 budget meeting, Shupe said staff has a number of items to prepare.

“We still have all options on the table. Council has asked staff to look into additional savings through staff reductions, salary and wage freezes, service reductions, and sale of properties,” he said. “The bottom line is that we need to address a $200,000 budget shortfall this year and plan for future deficits. Reductions may be preferable to tax increases, but we will consider all potential means of balancing the budget, as we are required.”