Special Committee of the Whole - October 24, 2024

Please note that all Committee of the Whole decisions are subject to Council approval. The next Council meeting is scheduled for November 6, 2024.  The meeting will start 45 minutes after the completion of the Committee of Whole meeting scheduled for 1:30 p.m. If you have any questions regarding agenda items or decisions made at Committee or Council meetings, please email Amber McDonald at amcdonald@ramara.ca. 

2025 Proposed Budget

The Director of Finance presented the proposed 2025 municipal budget, which aims to support capital projects and operations necessary to sustain the services and service levels of Ramara Township.

The Water/Wastewater Designated Ratepayers budget is not included in the presentation due to the extra time required to review the budget. The Water/Wastewater Designated Ratepayers budget does not impact the Municipal Tax Rate. Please review the October 28, 2024 highlights. 

For 2025, the total amount expected to be raised by taxes is estimated at $16,644,500, compared to $15,321,200 in 2024. The total proposed operating budget, which funds the township's day-to-day operations and services, is projected to be $16,948,600—a 13% increase ($1.9 million) from 2024. Additionally, the total proposed capital budget (expenses)—allocated for maintaining existing physical assets like roads, buildings, and equipment—is set at $6,813,000, which represents a 42% decrease ($4.9 million) from 2024.

Here are a few highlights from the 2025 proposed budget:

• Assessment values will not increase in 2025 unless its from new construction.
• Cost of living increase on all salaries and wages is budgeted at 3.7% - the annual average CPI was listed at 3.79% in September.
• Increase in OPP costs of 23% or 406K from 2024. This expense represents 2.6% of the tax rate increase of the proposed budget.
• Roads Capital projects include road construction on Ramara Road 46 (between Highway 12 and Sideroad 15), McRade Park Road, Lagoon City Structural bridge repairs, replacement of infrastructure pickup trucks and tandem and site preparation for Lakeshore Drive, Maple, Ridge, Simcoe and Lone Birch servicing. 
• Recreation capital projects include accessibility renovations.
• Other project highlights include the development of a Economic Development Strategy, updating Zoning Bylaw, completion of structural engineering and minor repairs to St. Andrew's Hall and Standard Bank and the completion of a Pay Equity Study. 

The Draft 2025 Budget proposed a 7% increase for the municipal portion only is proposed, resulting in an extra $41.72 per $100,000 assessment. Please be advised that this increase was later decreased at the October 28, 2024, meeting, as a result of Council direction. 

The Committee approved to receive the 2025 Draft Budget and presentation and for the 2025 Draft Budget to be forwarded to the next Special Committee of the Whole meeting on October 28 with the completion of the budget review, amendments and follow-ups, including:

• Decreasing the cost of living increase on all salaries and wages from 3.7% to 2%
• Decreasing the cost of the pay equity study by $10,000.
• Removing the St. Andrew's Hall art project with a budget price of $10,000 from the Economic Development Committee budget
• Decreasing the Chamber of Commerce's budget request to $125 (membership fee).
• Adding a 50% full-time position for Fire Training Officer to share with another municipality.
• Reducing material costs for Recreation Budget from $22,000 to $7,000. This initative will have one-page mailouts to residents and full recreation guides provided at request. 

View Draft Budget

Reminders

Subscribe

Subscribe to get email updates on our News and Notices, Media Releases, Council Highlights, Monthly Ramara Bulletin, Community Events and more.

Subscribe now 

For More Information

For more details on any of these items, see the full meeting Agenda or view the meeting on the Township of Ramara's YouTube Channel.

The Meeting highlights are prepared to give residents a timely update on decisions of Council. The Council Meeting Minutes are the official record of the meeting.