Interview with the Mayor - Dec 9 2024

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Monday, 9 December 2024 11:20

Woodstock City Council is set to approve the Capital Budget for 2025 this Thursday.

WOODSTOCK - Woodstock City Council is getting ready for its last meeting of the year.

The proposed Capital Budget for 2025 will be brought back for approval this Thursday evening.

When asked to sum it up on the Heart FM Morning Show today, Mayor Jerry Acchione said there are some big investments in infrastructure to accommodate the growing city.

"We have been a growing City but we haven't really kept up to what's needed. I think we're taking $31 million out of reserves to try to help catch up and do a lot here in the City. It's going to be big construction and continuation of construction here in the City, but it needs to be done."

When it was first brought to council on November 22nd, the Capital Budget was $61,363,000 with $17,635,000 for sewer and water main work.

The budget could see some changes when it's on the table for discussion this week.

Councillor Mark Schadenberg is bringing forward a motion to remove the Downtown Revitalization Project from the budget and the Capital Forecast for 2026-2029. Mayor Acchione says this would not affect phase 1 of the project, which has already been approved for spring of 2025.

"We've already got one that's awarded, so we'll have one section done in April-ish of next year. If this motion passes, that would be it. There would be no future funding, so setting money aside, nothing."

City County Councillor Deb Tait is also bringing forward a motion, asking council to spend close to $2 million to renovate Lions Pool instead of demolishing it.

Mayor Acchione shared his personal opinion on the matter.

"Do I want an outdoor pool? Of course I do! I'm just not convinced that spending $2 million on what everyone kind of naturally agreed was a poor location already, versus spending the money in the future developments we originally talked about on Cowan Fields."

Council voted in favour of decommissioning Lions Pool in July 2023, with the intention of building a new outdoor pool to replace it. Those plans were put on hold in the spring of 2024 due to the impact it would have on future debt.

Thursday's City Council meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. and it will be livestreamed on the City of Woodstock YouTube page. You can also find the meeting agenda online here.

During his interview with Dan and Marcie this morning, Mayor Acchione also discussed the following:

- The status of the Building Faster Fund. How the discussion went at Oxford County Council on November 27th.

- An upcoming City Council delegation from the Woodstock Soccer Club.

- A Strategic Priorities Update coming from the Clerk's Department.

- This time volunteering at the Salvation Army Christmas Kettles.

- A new partnership with Heart FM, the Woodstock Police Service, and the Woodstock Police Service Board called Woodstock Wishes.

- His thoughts on today's Daily Debate, does he like candy canes?

You can listen to the full interview below: