Belleville city council begins two-day budget meeting

City councillors Garnet Thompson (left) and Mitch Panciuk listening to a presentation at Tuesday’s budget meeting. Photo by Michael Fleming, QNet News

By Michael Fleming

BELLEVILLE – A new route for the Park & Ride Senators game day bus shuttle, a seasonal trolley bus service and a new exhibit co-ordinator for the Glanmore historical site were among the items approved for Belleville’s 2018 operating budget.

City council met for the first of two scheduled meetings on Tuesday to discuss and vote on several items for the operating budget. The day began with presentations from the Belleville Library and Belleville Police Service, and an overview of the base operating budget from the city’s director of finance. The afternoon was then devoted to approving, defeating or amending the various budget issues.

The Park & Ride shuttle will now feature a route to the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, where the Senators play at the Yardmen Arena, leaving from the Bayview Mall on Dundas Street East. This will  be in addition to the existing route from the Quinte Mall. The $36,600 price tag will also include the use of four buses, two for each route.

The seasonal trolley service was approved after a failed attempt by Counl Kelly McCaw to delete it from the budget. The trolley would offer service south of Dundas Street, as well as potential shuttle service to summer events like the Waterfront Festival.

Other items that were approved included a speed-limit review for rural roads, a study into radio systems for the fire department, and maintenance for Belleville’s three splash pad locations.

The items that failed to pass included hiring a full-time parks equipment operator, a customer-service representative for the environmental and transportation departments,  nd a downtown development co-ordinator. The issue of the downtown development co-ordinator failed to make it to discussion, despite two attempts from Coun. Egerton Boyce to move it forward.

The second day of meetings takes place on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.