Councillors in Kincardine are trying to figure out how to cover the municipal portion of the costs for projects that have recently received federal or provincial grant money.
Councillor Randy Roppel suggests using the tax mitigation reserve fund.
Chief Administrative Officer John de Rosenroll says it was always meant to be a rainy day fund for the municipality to use.
Roppel says it’s raining now and should be used.
Staff recommend user charges for the Inverhuron sewer project and the tax mitigation fund for other projects receiving two-thirds Building Canada, Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, and Recreational Infrastructure in Canada funding.
Councillor Marsha Leggett says the municipal portion of the project to upgrade the Kincardine Centre for the Arts should come from the arts centre fund that has over one million dollars in it.
Roppel says the one million dollar cost for the new Davidson Centre gymnasium should be covered through the capital reserve fund, while the recreation reserve fund should be used for the 100 thousand dollars in upgrades to Connaught Park.
Councillor Kenneth Craig says there isn’t a major difference in any of the options and it doesn’t matter which reserve fund gets used.
He says the decisions simply have to be made and then the municipality should begin filling up those reserve funds again.
Council hasn’t decided yet on how to finance the municipal portion of the projects, but de Rosenroll says the idea of the discussion was to put the options before council so it could guide staff on what options to choose.
Deputy Mayor Laura Haight says the discussion gives council a sense of what options are available and that there is sufficient fiscal backing in reserves to cover the costs.
Haight says the tougher decisions on exactly which funds to use will have to be made as projects reach the design and implementation stage.