Roads Budget not increased, despite recommendation

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Following a record year for the roads budget at $7 million, the City did manage to catch up on the number of potholes they are having to fill. And to some degree, that’s thanks to new technologies.

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“We are making headway with our potholes,” says Jordan Wiseman, the Manager of Roads and Fleet. “Over the last few years, with the increases in road rehabilitation budgets, that’s definitely helped. In the last four years, we’ve acquired an asphalt recycler which allows us in the shoulder seasons while we’re waiting for the asphalt plants to open, we can actually make our own hot mix. Which normally works a lot better than your throw and go cold mix.

Prior to budget discussions Council passed a resolution that asked Administration: “… to prepare a report providing options for a 4.37% increase to the estimated general operating levy for council’s consideration, which is 2% less than the initial projections.” but Councillor Cori Ramsay specifically asked Administration to avoid the roads, snow and general infrastructure budget, calling them the low handing fruit. But Council went there anyway.

“We touched roads,” admitted Mayor Lyn Hall. “Some people would say it’s a roll of the dice, but I think we’re in good shape. We saw a surplus in a couple of areas. Snow removal. So we did. We touched [roads].”

And behind pothole complaints that come to the City are those about sidewalks. And, as one of two councillors on the accessiblity committee, Scott says that a big one.

“In places, they are extremely bad,” says Scott. “And I know myself and Councillor Frizzell and our spouses meet for breakfast every Saturday morning. The restaurant we go to had a horrible time trying to keep ahead of the snow, ice, snow ice.”

The City’s budget sets out over a million dollars for both new sidewalks and walkways and well as sidewalk rehabilitation. Last year, the city did 2,200 linear metres of sidewalk rehab.