By Mark Squibb
Like municipal councillors everywhere, members of Mount Pearl City council saw inflation eat away at their spending power the past couple of years.
“Procurement has been an issue the last two or three years, especially with inflation being what it is,” said Mayor Dave Aker, in a year end interview last week. So the cost of doing business has gone up, up, up.
“But we’ll keep plugging along, I think we’ve got good estimates,” said the mayor. “We have to make sure we watch every dollar and find new ways of doing things. For example, some of our truck tenders came in quite high, and council have asked staff to maybe procure trucks closer to the manufacturer. We had a recent experience with a garbage truck that ultimately didn’t deliver despite being the subject of a tender. And so, council is looking at those types of things. But I think inflation is going to be the biggest challenge council will continue to face.”
Despite rising costs, the City completed road upgrades on Farrell Drive, Birch Avenue, and Roosevelt Avenue in 2023. Aker said the work was a challenge.
“It’s the way the economy is,” said Aker. “There’s a really tight labour market, sometimes the work is slower than you would expect. And we didn’t run into too many technical problems, but I think that was the biggest challenge — getting work done before winter set in. We managed to get the underground servicing in, and we managed to get one or two top coats of pavement on, so from that point of view, it was challenging, and frankly we appreciate the patience of our residents, especially those living on those streets. And going forward, the plan, like every year, is to do more streets. The primary one next year will be Holden Street.”
To that end, council has earmarked $4.5 million over 3-years through the Multi-Year Capital Works Program to upgrade water, sewer, curb, and gutter on the street.
The decision to upgrade Holden Street was very deliberate, as the street will tie into the City’s long planned development of land sandwiched between Topsail and Kenmount roads, known as the Northlands.
“Council has been very strategic in making sure that Holden Street gets upgrades,” said Aker. “The services there will ultimately marry with the services in the Northlands area.”
And despite inflationary woes, council has committed to developing the area, which it says will one day be the site of over 1,800 homes.
In fact, you may have noticed that land has been cleared at the intersection of Kenmount Road and Mount Carson Avenue. Aker said council has approved the grubbing of land for a future gas station, and he pinpoints the land as the beginning of the Northlands area.
“You have to start on the perimeter and work your way in,” said Aker. “We’re seeing the beginnings of it, and council is really excited to see that development move forward.”
He added council has given staff the go-ahead to begin the process of installing a new water tower in the area.
Earlier this year, council issued a request for proposals for an “owners advisor” team that will advise the City in planning, engineering, business, legal and other matters related to the development of Northlands, and in November, the provincial government announced the City would be on the receiving end of $6.5 million in funding for both a new community centre and upgrades to Holden Street and Ingerman Street.
Aker said he’s also glad to see the City undertaking the development of both a new municipal plan and transportation plan in 2024 (council has set aside $300,000 for the development of both plans) and added feedback from residents and business owners in regards to Budget 2024 (balanced at $58,483,356) has been good so far.
“But we can’t forget that there are people out there who are finding things more and more expensive,” said Aker. “Some can’t afford the current level of taxes. We’re all dealing with inflation, and so for 2024 we’ve set aside some funding to continue to help and fund existing programs that make our recreation fees more accessible for some families. And for senior citizens, if you’re collecting the GIS, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, we’ve expanded the discount on property tax from 20 to 25 percent. So, those are small steps but I’m glad council recognises that we’re all impacted by inflation.”
Aker also extended his best wishes to Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley, who has been recovering after being severely injured earlier this year when she was struck by a vehicle.
“We’re glad to see her recovery is moving along,” said Aker. “At some point during the new year, I anticipate that we’ll be back to seven members. I’m not sure when. It has to be done at her pace. But we’re looking forward to having the whole team back together in council chambers sometime, I hope, in 2024.”
