Renfrew Councillor Kyle Cybulski
Councillors in Renfrew have set the bar for how low the 2025 budget needs to go to get to a second pass.
At what would have been the completion of the council’s first reading of the town’s draft budget, Kyle Cybulski would move to declare a freeze on any new capital spending, halting the budget process until the town’s department directors could cut projected spending from a 14% tax levy down to 8%.
Cybulski called it a request for one “tight” fiscal year to offset some of the problems arising from the Ma-te-Way Expansion
Councillors approved the spending freeze by a recorded vote of 6-1, as the lone dissenter, Jason Legris, expressed his frustration in holding up the budget when they could possibly make those cuts then and there.
When asked about what the expectation would be on staff if there isn’t enough nonessential spending to cut, CAO Gloria Raybone suggested that getting close enough to the target could be enough of a foundation to get the rest of the way.
Council will return to Town Hall for its regular meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, April 8th.
(written by Kasey Egan)
