Town Of Pelham Reaching Out To Residents For Suggestions On How To Spend Their Money

From the Office of Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn

• To The Residents of Pelham

Town of Pelham in Niagara, Ontario, November 2015 – Do you have any suggestions on how the Town should spend your money?

Pelham, Ontario Mayor Dave Augustyn

Council will begin our 2016 budget process with a special public meeting where we listen to you and other members of the community about what you would like to see in next year’s and future budgets. That meeting will occur on Monday, November 30 at 6:30 PM in the Council Chamber at Pelham Town Hall.

While Pelham Council first started this type of a “pre-budget consultation” for the 2007 Budgets, we continue each year to welcome residents, representatives of sports teams and service clubs, businesses and property tax payers to provide input.

I am pleased that, following Council deliberations each year, we have been able to follow-through on most of the suggestions offered by your friends and neighbours. In previous year, folks have requested a dog park, a skate park, sidewalks along a number of roads, crosswalks, sidewalk snow clearing on every sidewalk in Town, partnerships on service club signs, and a girl’s change room in the arena. The Town has completed each of these requests or they have been approved and will get done soon.

That’s why we are undertaking this consultation process again. Council and I want to hear directly from you about your needs, wants, and ideas for our Town. Our community improves when more and more people become involved in its success!

And, this is just the start of our 2016 budget deliberations:

• Pre-Budget Consultation – beginning November 30, 2015;
• Draft Capital Budget available to public – December 31;
• Draft Capital Budget presented to Committee – January 4, 2016;
• Council consider approving Capital Budget – January 11;
• Draft Operating Budget available to the public – February 5;
• Draft Operating Budget presented to Committee – February 8;
• Council consider approving Operating Budget – February 16;
• Draft Water & Sewer Budgets available to the public – February 8;
• Draft Water & Sewer Budgets presented to Committee – February 16;
• Council consider approving Water & Sewer Budgets – March 7.

Prefer to provide written input?  Simply send a letter via email to a special email address:  ourbudget@pelham.ca. You will also soon be able to view background budget information at the Town’s website: www.pelham.ca.

Not internet savvy?  You can also provide written comments via normal mail c/o Town Clerk, Town of Pelham, 20 Pelham Town Square, P.O. Box 400, Fonthill, ON   L0S 1E0.

I hope to hear from you and I look forward to discussing your ideas so that we can continue to build a better future for our Town together.

You may contact Mayor Dave at mayordave@pelham.ca or read past columns at www.pelhammayordave.blogspot.ca.

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

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