Do you care how your tax dollars are spent?

For the past three years, council and administration have been putting on open houses about all things budget. The concept was to reach more members of the community and engage the public on how their tax dollars are being spent. An empty gallery in front of council during weekly meetings at the Forest Interpretive Centre was a big part of it.

“Nobody ever came and asked questions. We hold our public input sessions before every council meeting and every Policies and Priorities meeting and I have to say that in the five years that I’ve been mayor I can count on my hands how many people have come to public input, let alone how many people have spoken at budget or even become engaged in the budget process,” said Mayor Maryann Chichak. 

A problem has risen, however, in that people aren’t attending the open houses, either. Though more have attended them than your average council meeting, the numbers have frustrated council and it was recently discussed during their Monday, January 14 regular meeting. In 2016 there were 20 attendees, in 2017 there were 42, and last year was their lowest with only 17.

Several councillors voiced concerns over the cost of the open house versus the attendance. “This is one of the best things our staff does for our community. I think it’s worth it but if we don’t beat 42 people then we should never apply a cost to our community for this again,” spoke Councillor McAree. “I think it would be frustrating for administration putting this stuff together and not having any people come. I would be in support of putting a number on this. If we can’t get over 42 people, then is it worth continuing? I see the value in it but there has to be a line,” said Councillor Connell.

Seated beside him was Councillor Schlosser and though he also saw the value in it, he echoed the sentiments of those who spoke before him. “I think the staff does a great job getting it together and I think council does a good job explaining it but I’m not really certain it’s worth our money to do it in the current format anymore. The whole idea of this was to try and I just don’t think the results are working. If we were getting a big grant from the government for doing this then I would say, let’s do it, but this is directly out of taxation and I don’t think it makes good sense.”

Ideas about changing the venue or time were brought forward as ways to, hopefully, reach more residents. Councillor Pickard wondered if maybe holding the open house in council chambers ahead of a council meeting would be a better idea than cancelling it altogether. “I’d like to see how many we get this year, but I don’t think that cancelling it would be consistent with the transparency requests that we hear.”

Councillor Hilts felt the importance of holding an open house far outweighed the cost and time it took to put it on even if only a small number attended. “As unfortunate as it is that we get very few people, I still think it’s our responsibility as a council to put these opportunities on for people to come whether they choose to or not.” He added that he, too, is frustrated with the lack of engagement. “Our last meeting about budget we had nobody in the gallery and that’s super frustrating especially when we hear talk around town about how we’re spending money.”

Councillor Chauvet felt the trial should end. “We took a run at this three years ago with good intentions and some things just don’t work. There are other ways for residents to get the information. They can come to a meeting or go to the website (www.whitecourt.ca).” Councillor McAree added that their phone numbers are also available online and in the papers each week and that calls about budget are rare.  

The decision was ultimately made to go ahead with this year’s budget open house with a slight change to the time. Councillors Schlosser and Chauvet were the dissenting votes. Depending on the attendance of this year’s event, council will decide this time next year if they will continue offering it to the community.

“As a resident, if I didn’t sit on council, I would want to know where the money is going, how it’s being spent, and to understand the process a little more,” said Mayor Chichak. “The budget is the most important document that will be passed throughout the whole year. If you’re a business owner or a homeowner, you do your own budgeting. You look at your income coming in and your expenses going out, building equity in your home, and saving for the future, and that’s what the town is doing, just on a bigger scale.”

Each department will have an area set up at the open house where residents can find out how money is being allotted. “Let’s chat about snow removal and how that budget is developed and maintained. How do we look at funding projects for the next 20 years? Out of our budget, how much is grants that are received from the federal and provincial governments and how much of it is from taxation? Why is the tax rate what it is? We really try to break it down and simplify it so that everyone can understand it,” explained Mayor Chichak.

The open house will take place on Wednesday, March 6 in the fieldhouse at the Allan & Jean Millar Centre from 5 until 8 p.m. Council and administration hope the delay of one hour will give residents more opportunity to pop in. Without more public engagement, the possibility of future open houses hangs in the balance. If you care how your tax dollars are spent, then this is a chance not to miss.