2020 Budget

(Issued November 29, 2019 at 4 p.m. EST) – The Town of Cobourg would like to inform citizens that the 2020 Divisional Staff Budget Presentation meetings that took place between November 21st through to the 28th have concluded and that all budgets are available online at www.cobourg.ca/2020budget.

Divisional Staff Presentation Meetings
November 21, 2019
- General Government- Planning and Development Services
- Economic Development
- Venture13 Innovation Centre
- Art Gallery of Northumberland
- Public Library

November 26, 2019
- Public Works Division
- Environmental Services
- Protection Services – Fire Department

November 28, 2019
- Building Department and Bylaw Enforcement Services
- Community Services Division
- Protection Services – Police Services

The 2020 Draft Budget will be released for public review and comment on Friday, December 13th on the Town’s Municipal website at www.cobourg.ca and the Town’s online engagement platform, Engage Cobourg at www.engagecobourg.ca.

A Special Council Budget Session will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2020 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in Council Chambers where Council will review the budget in its entirety. If a second session is required it will be scheduled for January 10, 2020 beginning at 10 a.m. The Draft 2020 Municipal Operating & Capital Budget will be submitted for final approval by Council on February 3rd, 2020 at 4 p.m.

Online Engagement Available
Citizens are also encouraged to visit the Town of Cobourg’s new online engagement platform, Engage Cobourg (www.engagecobourg.ca). The online engagement platform will be accepting feedback on the 2020 Budget with a comprehensive ‘Financial Framework Survey’ and open-ended forums. All comments received on this platform will be included in a staff report prepared by the Communications Department for Council’s consideration.

For further information on the 2020 Municipal Operating and Capital Budget please visit www.cobourg.ca/2020budget.

(Issued November 20, 2019 at 12 p.m. EST) – The Town of Cobourg’s Legislative Services Department would like to inform citizens that the Municipal Grant Public Meeting will now begin at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 25th to ensure enough time is given for all presenting applicants.

The Public Meeting will be held at Council Chambers, Third Floor, Victoria Hall, 55 King Street West, and also broadcast live on the Town of Cobourg’s YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/townofcobourg.

The agenda can be accessed through the Civic Web portal: https://cobourg.civicweb.net/portal.

For additional information please contact the Municipal Clerk, Brent Larmer at 905-372-4301 or blarmer@cobourg.ca.

(Cobourg, ON) October 15, 2019 – The Town of Cobourg is currently in the process of preparing its 2020 Municipal Operating & Capital Budget (including Police, Art Gallery of Northumberland and the Library) and has released the official budget schedule. All meetings will be held in the Council Chambers and are open to the public as observers.

“This Council is committed to refurbishing, restoring and revitalizing our town assets for 2020 with a goal for the budget at 1.9%,” said Deputy Mayor Suzanne Séguin. “As we begin this budget process we must all keep in mind the five key pillars identified in the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, including people, places, programs, partnerships and prosperity.”

Next steps in the budget process include the Special Council Budget session on Thursday, January 9th, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Council Chambers, Victoria Hall.

The final approval by Council will take place at the Regular Council Meeting on Monday, February 3rd, 2020.

Online Engagement Now Available
Citizens are also encouraged to visit the Town of Cobourg’s new online engagement platform, Engage Cobourg (www.engagecobourg.ca). The online engagement platform will be accepting feedback on the 2020 Budget with a comprehensive ‘Financial Framework Survey’ and open-ended forums. All comments received on this platform will be included in a staff report prepared by the Communications Department for Council’s consideration.

For further information on the 2020 Municipal Operating and Capital Budget please visit our website cobourg.ca/2020budget.

The 2020 Budget for Cobourg will be the second for this term of Council. Earlier this year, Council members and staff worked together to create the Strategic Work Plan for 2019-2022. The five key pillars of this Strategic Plan include; people, places, programs, partnerships, prosperity.

As we begin this budget process, we need to keep in mind these five pillars so that this budget aligns with Cobourg’s priorities and gives our residents a 20-20 vision for what we need to accomplish next year. The Operational and Capital funds Council allocates in this budget belong to the taxpayers of this community and must be respected at all times which is why extensive public engagement will be used.

There are several ways to create a budget for a municipality. Historically, and in 2020, here in Cobourg, we will use departmental based budgeting. Budgets are built by town departments and each department is responsible for developing and presenting their budget to Council. The pros to this process is that department heads can speak to their areas and so they do most of the work. The cons include: multiple presentations to Council, this is not specific to services increasing cost pressures within the departments and it is not as transparent as other strategies. We hope to review other options for 2021 and beyond such as service-based budgeting and zero-based budgeting after an Operational Review is conducted for the Town of Cobourg.

After considering provincial legislated obligations for Cobourg, funds that we have limited Council control of and funds that have full Council control, our goal for the 2020 budget is 1.9%. Our theme is to Refurbish, Restore and Revitalize Cobourg Assets for 2020. We look forward to the budget presentations from the public and town departments, Council budget deliberations and hope to have a final budget vote in February 2020.

Sincerely,