Mayor takes issue with 'multimillion-dollar surprises' in capital project list

Draft five-year capital plan includes nearly 150 projects at estimated $210 million

Miramichi Mayor Adam Lordon says the city’s capital priorities may need to be hashed out earlier in the year to avoid costly surprises during budget time. (FREE PRESS PHOTO)

MIRAMICHI After receiving some “multimillion-dollar surprises” weeks before next year’s city budgets will be approved, Mayor Adam Lordon says unexpected projects recommended for 2025 should have been presented sooner.

At the Nov. 19 council-in-committee meeting, Lordon expressed displeasure that a $1.3-million repair of the French Fort Cove Eco-Centre roof overhang and a new $1.3-million pumper for the Miramichi Fire Department only came to council that night after not previously being on council’s radar.

Lordon said council and staff may need to start reviewing and setting capital priorities earlier in the year.

“Maybe we have to back this process up and start having these conversations in May,” he said. “We’re sitting here now in what’s supposed to be our annual budget process.

“I don’t like receiving $1-million-plus surprises when we’re in what’s supposed to be crunch time. This is the third surprise fire truck we’ve had in five years. The Eco-Centre roof is a surprise.”

Lordon also referenced a “throwaway comment” by former engineering director Darren Row before he left his job at the city that the Eco-Centre would soon need upwards of $4 million in work, but council was never told about it. He said he followed up with Row to ask about it and was told Row had a report that never came to council outlining the Cove Road facility’s needs.

“Why the hell did we not see that report?” said Lordon. “It’s not a good feeling when we’re sitting in these chairs as councillors and getting hit with multimillion-dollar surprises that completely railroad what we think is our multi-year planning process.

“If we can have input at the front end, staff do the work, and we get the asset management update before we start the budget, maybe we can avoid these million-dollar surprises, which have to be dealt with, but that way we’re not coming in thinking we’ll get one thing and suddenly we’ve got $3 or $4 million in projects we weren’t anticipating. That would be appreciated.”