The tax increase, originally reduced to five per cent because of unexpected grant monies from the province, climbed two per cent last Tuesday during the corporate services committee meeting when a majority agreed to include the $234,000 reconstruction of the gateway arch in the budget.

Replacing the arch was one project that survived the cut, but several projects that were not recommended in the 2008 draft budget are still subject to council approval.

Committee member Bob Colhoun was first to criticize a few capital projects not considered in the 2008 budget, including $10,200 for backup generators for the two rural fire stations.

“We just spent $50,000 on two communications towers to better communication, but if the power goes out how are we expecting this communication to work?” Colhoun asked. Battery backups at both fire halls, he noted, only last four to six hours.

He also said council, “notorious for putting stuff off”, should be giving consideration to extending the sidewalk along Muskoka Road 169 at Muskoka Wharf at a capital cost of $60,000. He said the project has been on the books for a few years.

“Why would we want to encourage people to walk away from the wharf instead of along the boardwalk?” replied committee member Sandy Cairns.

Mayor John Klinck said he wanted more information about the Gravenhurst Seniors Centre request for $20,000 annually for staffing at the centre.

“This is the most vibrant facility in our community. The visitation and value are exceptional and we never hear from them,” said Klinck, noting he would like to hold the request in abeyance until he can dialogue with the seniors centre.

Another capital project not recommended in the 2008 budget was the Gravenhurst Rotary Club’s proposal to work together to provide public washrooms downtown.

Earmarked at $70,000, the washroom proposal was determined not to be the best use of the funds.

Cairns said there are several washrooms available at municipal properties around town and maintenance costs are always an issue in future budgets.

“God bless Rotary, but I can’t support the initiative for washrooms,” said Klinck. “. . . If we’re going to spend $70,000 on anything, we could put in an elevator at the Carnegie Arts Centre to make it accessible.”

Klinck said Rotary’s call for public washrooms downtown comes from a couple of high-traffic weekends around Bethune House. He said the federal government, as the owner of the Parks Canada property, should ante up and share the cost.

Colhoun agreed he could think of numerous other projects with better merit.

A resolution from committee member Mark Clairmont proposed a compromise to the $70,000 request by adding up to $25,000 to the budget to reconfigure the existing washrooms at Gravenhurst Youth Centre so they are accessible from the outside.

“Rotary suggested they would help build the washrooms, but it’s the town’s responsibility to move forward with the project,” committee member Terry Pilger said in support of the project. “They wanted to assist us, but have no money to do so. It’s an identified need now and doesn’t put us in a good position when we have visitors downtown and no facilities.”

The resolution was defeated in a recorded vote of the committee with only Pilger and Clairmont in favour.

Discussion also surrounded a special levy to address infrastructure that could accumulate and compound for the next term of council, however no decision was made last Tuesday.

Treasurer Ken Watson explained a three per cent levy would collect about $225,000 this year and could be phased in.

The municipality’s discretionary advertising cost also came under fire with direction to staff to bring more information to the next meeting to consider the budget on April 1.

Final approval of the budget is expected at a special council meeting April 8.