Audit and finance committee goes over proposed 2026 budget

Amherstburg Municipal Building.

Amherstburg’s audit and finance committee had a closer look at the 2026 budget with town council deliberations coming next week.

Town council will enter into this year’s deliberations with a starting point of a 2.86 per cent tax increase, with wide-ranging discussions coming this past Monday night by the audit and finance committee.

The town’s asset management plan (AMP) was a topic of debate, with CAO Valerie Critchley noting there was not 2.5 per cent built into the base budget to accommodate the AMP. Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb said he can support having a budget that is affordable to residents, but with no contribution to the AMP this year, he advised his fellow council members not to take on any more assets.

Committee member John Purdie believed a problem the town has is underfunding capital projects. He feared that if something were to happen, the town would not be able to enter into a competitive bidding process.

Committee member Gordon Moore expressed concern over fire department overtime, with Chief Michael Mio stating the department always has to have people on duty. He explained that while other departments may not have to call someone in if someone were to call in sick, his department would have to. He felt that they can handle the costs within this year’s budget, but cautioned that he may ask for a full-time position in a future year.

Moore also had concerns over software and didn’t believe it would be a special report to provide something like revenues and expenses. Director of corporate services/chief financial officer (CFO) Tracy Prince said 20 years ago she could get a “data structure” but information is not as easily available now due to software licensing for what is classified as a “customized report.” Vice chair Joey Corio added in his line of work, payment is required to get customized reports and while “I’d love software to do it all for free,” those aren’t nearly as readily available.

Under the office of the CAO budget section and the areas it oversees, Purdie made a motion to recommend having approximately $19,000 removed from the budget from line items relating to professional fees, training, and recruitment expenses. Town council would have to agree with that recommendation during deliberations to actually have that cut. Purdie cited actuals coming in lower that what is being asked for.

Another in a series of similar motions made by Purdie was to reduce a line item for students in the information technology (IT) reduced by $2,000. That carried, but he would withdraw other motions such as cuts to computer maintenance and website expenses after learning of contractual obligations.

Purdie also said money hasn’t been spent in the parks, facilities and recreation budget, citing actual spending was lower than the roughly $72,000 budgeted for. Critchley indicated the actual expenditures came close to the target two years ago and will follow up on why there was nearly $30,000 less in spending last year.

A further reduction in professional fees suggested by Purdie was something clerk Kevin Fox recommended against, citing that line item is for integrity commissioner costs and it is not known if people will file complaints over the course of a year.

Purdie said the actual expense last year was $18,000 or so, meaning the line item is actually getting about $6,000 more, but Fox said there was higher than anticipated spending in 2025. Critchley added there is also a new integrity commissioner with a higher cost structure.

Gibb said when preparing a budget, the town has to take into account what could happen but Purdie added the goal of budgeting is to try and be as factual as possible with little variances.

Much of the meeting centered around the budget, with all motions to come before council as part of the minutes.

Purdie also wanted the audit and finance committee to further study other municipalities at a “macro” level, and wanted to have a meeting to discuss that. Gibb wanted to ensure that similar municipalities to Amherstburg are compared and not just looking at them geographically, as “there is a lot of variances under the numbers.”

Budget deliberations begin next Monday night.

Audit and finance committee goes over proposed 2026 budget

By Ron Giofu