City Of Dryden 2014 Budget Now $4-million Short

The City of Dryden’s financial picture has become a lot cloudier.
Treasurer Adrienne Bodnarchuk and Chief Administrative Officer Andre Larabie provided an update on the City’s finances at a Media Conference this morning.
Larabie informed the media that the City is now facing a $4-million deficit for the 2014 budget year.
Bodnarchuk says they were projecting a $2-million deficit at the start of the year.
The deficit is due to a loss in the Domtar Mill assessment, a reduction in the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund grant and an accounting discrepancy in the amount of $1-million from the 2011-2012 budget years.
Larabie says they now have about five weeks to find $4-million as the budget is still expected to be presented before the start of March.
Larabie stresses they are looking at cuts across the board and every department has been tasked to find savings.
He notes any future decisions will take safety into account especially for police, fire, water, sewer, roads and waste management.
Larabie notes no decisions on staffing have been made at this point and adds all city departments have been notified.
Dryden has already lost roughly 60 municipal positions.
The City now has a restructuring and deficit recovery plan, which will include increasing water and sewer rates.
Larabie notes recommendations will include reducing, closing, transferring and amalgamating services.
He says they will be closing looking at all of the KPMG recommendations.
Dryden is at its maximum of long term debt at $32.8-million.
Larabie ended the media conference by saying the City is still open for business, but stressed it’s going to be a difficult time ahead.