Weds July 10: Plans for New High School; Owen Sound Budget Consultation Update

Plus: Fatal collision involving motorcycle and deer in Brockton; Chatsworth mischief incidents rack up a huge bill in damages

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We begin with a quick update on the 2025 Operating Budget Public Engagement plan mentioned yesterday.

According to the plan accepted by Council on Monday, public engagement on the 2025 budget is happening right now and has been since June. The online survey was to be open from June 14, 2024, until July 15, 2024.

Ninety-four percent of you were unaware this was happening. Which makes sense, it turns out, because it’s not actually happening.

Not yet, anyway.

The Communications Advisor for the Department of the City Manager responded to our inquiries yesterday:

“As the Director of Corporate Services mentioned verbally at the June committee meeting, this budget survey will be deferred to not compete with the Strategic Planning Vision 2050 survey that is currently open.

Therefore, it is forthcoming and will come out after the Vision 2050 survey is closed.  The length of the budget survey period will be shifted, not shortened.”

The Owen Sound Current has asked for the correct public engagement plan and what opportunities residents will have to provide feedback for the City’s 2025 budget, since this survey is the only opportunity reflected in current material. We’ll share that information once it’s available.

You can reach your elected representatives at council@owensound.ca with questions about the 2025 budget process.

Public Notice

Next up, the City has given public notice of a Committee of Adjustment hearing in which they’ll consider an application from BGCDSB to sever lands for a replacement of St. Mary’s High School at the easternmost city limit.

Full subscribers, keep reading for a full slate of upcoming events and news updates on local arrests and investigations, community programs, real estate reports, and more.

~ Miranda

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