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Not the full picture. Built from public records, which leave things out.Read by hand, Oct 2026DetailsThis is built from public records, which leave a lot out, and some of it may be wrong or out of date. Check the sources, and tell us if you spot a mistake. What this site can't tell you
Read by hand. We read Marmora and Lake's own documents for this site in October 2026; the Sources page lists which ones. The comparisons with other places still come from the Province's yearly reports.

Questions · 7 so far

Things worth asking about

We read Marmora and Lake's financial reports and meeting minutes, and compared its numbers with 50 similar Ontario towns. These are the things that stood out.

What these are, and what they are not. A question here means a number or practice is unusual, or harder to see than it should be. It does not mean anyone did anything wrong. Most unusual numbers turn out to have ordinary explanations, and every question lists some. The only way to know is to ask.
Worth asking

Worth asking

There may well be a good reason. It is still worth asking what it is.

Worth askingHow decisions are made

What is council deciding behind closed doors?

80 of 109council meetings since November 2022 had a closed session

Ontario lets councils meet privately for a few reasons, like staff matters, lawsuits or buying land. By our count, Marmora and Lake’s council went behind closed doors at 80 of the 109 meetings whose minutes we read, from November 15, 2022 to September 1, 2026. At 57 of them it then voted in public that “staff follow the direction of Council made in closed session”, without saying what that direction was. Sometimes it says more: in July 2025 it announced a land sale.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Worth askingRising costs

Why did Marmora and Lake's property tax go up 17% in 2024?

+17%town property tax, 2023 to 2024

In 2024, Marmora and Lake collected $909K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 17% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 3 of 50 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 14% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 0.9%.

Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 10 sources

Good to know

Good to know

Background that helps make sense of the rest.

Good to knowMoney health

What are the town’s lawsuits and union talks, and what do they cost?

$100,000set aside in the 2024 budget for legal costs about the union

The town’s audited statements say it “has been named in several lawsuits”, with no amounts counted because the outcomes are not known. The closed-meeting topics in the minutes mention litigation at 10 meetings and union talks at 15 meetings. The 2024 budget set aside $100,000 for legal costs about the union, half of it from a reserve (savings kept for a purpose). The 2025 budget then lowered legal fees by $50,000. The town has not said, in public, how much it has spent or what the matters are.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Good to knowConflicts of interest

How was the price set for the town’s industrial land, when a councillor owns land in the same park?

$50,000an acre, for 4 acres sold in August 2025

On August 5, 2025 council sold 4.0 acres in the town’s industrial park to a company for $200,000, or $50,000 an acre. Councillor Eric Daoust declared that he owns property in the Industrial Park and stayed out. Council gave public notice before the vote. He has declared the same interest on industrial land items five times since May 2024. The town has not said how the price was set.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 4 sources

Good to knowHow decisions are made

Why has the town changed its top administrator so often since 2024?

The chief administrative officer (CAO) is the top staff member, who runs the town day to day for council. The CAO resigned in July 2024, an interim CAO served from October 2024, and a new CAO started in November 2024. In August 2026 council went into closed session on a “CAO Resignation”, then named the treasurer as Acting CAO from August 29 to October 26, 2026, and an interim CAO from October 27 until a permanent one is hired. The treasurer’s job was also held by an acting person from late 2023 into 2024.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 5 sources

Good to knowMoney health

Why did the town end 2025 with a $2.1 million surplus when it planned for $617,000?

$2,110,513draft 2025 surplus, against a budget of $616,677

These are draft numbers from the auditor’s package for the October 6, 2026 council meeting, not yet approved. The town’s revenue came in at $13.0 million against $12.0 million planned, and spending at $10.9 million against $11.4 million planned. Most of the surplus was moved into reserves: $1.7 million, against $88,520 planned. Reserves (savings kept for a purpose) rose from $4.3 million to $6.0 million in one year.

Found by reading the town's own documents · 6 sources

Good to knowRising costs

Why did the cost of roads and snow grow 49% in 5 years?

+49%roads and snow, 2019 to 2024

Marmora and Lake spent $1.8M on roads and snow in 2019 and $2.7M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 8 of 50 similar towns had faster growth here.

Found automatically from the town's financial reports · 9 sources

Each question in full

Worth askingFound by reading the town's documents

What is council deciding behind closed doors?

80 of 109council meetings since November 2022 had a closed session

Ontario lets councils meet privately for a few reasons, like staff matters, lawsuits or buying land. By our count, Marmora and Lake’s council went behind closed doors at 80 of the 109 meetings whose minutes we read, from November 15, 2022 to September 1, 2026. At 57 of them it then voted in public that “staff follow the direction of Council made in closed session”, without saying what that direction was. Sometimes it says more: in July 2025 it announced a land sale.

Why it matters

A closed meeting is allowed, but the public should still learn the outcome once it is safe to share. A vote to “follow the direction” tells residents that something was decided, but not what. Repeated often, it makes it hard to hold anyone to account.

It could be because…

  • Many of these meetings are about staff, lawsuits or union talks, where details must stay private.
  • The law allows councils to give directions to staff in a closed meeting.
  • Small towns often use the same wording every time out of habit.
  • A small council with a small staff may need private time more often than a big city does.

Questions you could ask

  1. Will council add a short public report after each closed meeting that says, in general terms, what was decided?
  2. For each closed meeting in the last year, which decisions have since been made public, and where?
  3. Has anyone ever asked for a closed-meeting investigation in Marmora and Lake, and was a report published?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. We read the minutes of 109 council, special and budget meetings from November 15, 2022 to September 1, 2026. 80 included a motion to go into closed session. Reasons named, by number of meetings: personal matters about a person (34), labour relations (22), litigation (10), advice from a lawyer (10), buying or selling land (9), negotiation plans (6). Counts are ours, from the motion wording.

    Marmora and Lake council minutes (CivicWeb) · minutes of the meetings listed under Council Meeting, counted by us

  2. At 57 meetings the minutes record the motion “THAT staff follow the direction of Council made in closed session.” Example, October 15, 2024: council went into closed session for “personal matters about an identifiable individual” and “labour relations or employee negotiations”, Re: Department Operations, then passed that one-line motion.

    Council minutes, October 15, 2024 · items 15.1 and 15.2, pages 7 and 8

  3. A counter-example: on July 15, 2025 council reported out of a closed session on “Industrial Land” and directed staff to give public notice of the sale of four acres of the town’s industrial park, for $200,000, closing August 12, 2025.

    Council minutes, July 15, 2025 (as printed in the August 5, 2025 agenda package) · PDF page 12, items 16.1 and 16.2

  4. The Ontario Ombudsman: “Although there is no requirement under the Municipal Act, 2001 for municipal councils to report back in public after the conclusion of a closed meeting, the Ombudsman recommends this practice to increase transparency of the closed meeting process.”

    Ontario Ombudsman, Municipal Meeting Digest: report back · archived copy

  5. The town uses AMO Local Authority Services as its closed meeting investigator. Its page explains how to complain but lists no earlier reports. The 2026 procedural by-law (2026-32) is posted only as a scanned image, which we could not read, so we do not know what it says about reporting back.

    Municipality of Marmora and Lake, Closed Meeting Investigation

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Worth askingFound automatically from financial reports

Why did Marmora and Lake's property tax go up 17% in 2024?

+17%town property tax, 2023 to 2024

In 2024, Marmora and Lake collected $909K more in its own property tax than in 2023. That is a 17% jump, while prices went up about 2.4%. Only 3 of 50 similar towns raised theirs by more. Almost all of it came from a higher tax rate (up 14% for homes); the value of homes on the tax roll grew only 0.9%.

Why did Marmora and Lake's property tax go up 17% in 2024?
$6.3M
Show as a table
YearTown property tax
2019$4.1M
2020$4.6M
2021$4.8M
2022$4.9M
2023$5.4M
2024$6.3M

Why it matters

A big one-year jump usually means something changed: a new cost, a service that grew, savings being rebuilt, or a problem from earlier years being paid for now. Residents should be able to see exactly which. Spread across every home, it is about $322 more each year.

It could be because…

  • Costs the town cannot control went up, such as policing, insurance or county charges.
  • The town kept taxes too low in earlier years and is catching up.
  • The town is rebuilding savings or paying for a big project like a bridge or equipment.

Questions you could ask

  1. The town says the capital share of the levy was cut in 2022 and 2023. Which projects were put off, and how many are now done?
  2. Is there a published date by which the catch-up in capital funding and reserves ends, so residents know when increases should shrink?
  3. In 2024, how much of the $826,042 was one-time and how much repeats every year?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Town property tax: $5,381,470 in 2023, $6,290,569 in 2024.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy

  2. Typical increase among 50 similar Ontario towns: 7.6%. Marmora and Lake ranks 4th highest.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 50 similar municipalities · Schedule 10, line 9940 · archived copy

  3. Residential tax rate (town share): 0.821% in 2023, 0.939% in 2024. Residential assessment: $601M to $607M.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 22, residential (RT) · archived copy

  4. Prices (inflation) rose 2.4% over the same year.

    Statistics Canada CPI, table 18-10-0005-01 · archived copy

  5. The town’s own explanation in its 2024 budget: the total tax levy (the part of property tax the town keeps for its own services) rose from $5,375,423 to $6,201,465, up $826,042. Of that, $610,501 was for day-to-day running costs and $215,541 was for capital (roads, buildings, equipment). One percent of the levy is $53,754.

    2024 Final Budget · page 10, Summary of Tax Levy Change

  6. The same budget lists “2024 Unavoidable Costs” of $193,800: Quinte Conservation $12,800, municipal insurance $52,100, the recycling contract $42,700, loan payments on new borrowing $69,700, and a $16,500 cut in the Province’s OMPF grant. The 2024 budget also added $100,000 for legal costs about the union and $99,000 more into the bridge reserve.

    2024 Final Budget · pages 12, 14 and 21

  7. The town says the capital part of the levy had been cut: $658,772 in 2019, $528,813 in 2022, $326,645 in 2023. “In 2022 and 2023, capital work decreased, creating a greater gap in meeting the municipality’s Asset Management obligations. The 2024 and 2025 Budget increases and the proposed 2026 Budget increase are aimed at closing this gap.”

    2026 Draft Budget Report · page 14 (the 2019 figure is in the 2024 Final Budget, page 10)

  8. An outside review for the town in January 2023 found “inconsistent and/or insufficient contribution to reserves”, and that in 2020 the town had “the lowest reserve level per household amongst the comparator group”.

    KPMG Line-by-Line Review of the Municipal Budget · PDF page 11, observation 1.6 and rationale

  9. For a home assessed at $167,000, the town’s share of the tax bill was budgeted at $1,567.30 for 2024 against $1,371.19 in 2023, up $196.11 (14.3%). Adding the County and school shares, the whole bill rose 10.38%, or $224.28. The Province’s figure above (16.9%) counts the property tax actually collected in the year, which can differ from the budgeted levy (up 15.4%).

    2024 Final Budget · pages 7 and 8

  10. Audited statements: property taxation revenue $6,290,569 in 2024 (budget $6,213,165) and $5,381,470 in 2023. Reserves rose from $3,236,763 to $4,305,532 in 2024.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · PDF page 7 (statement of operations); PDF page 20, note 11

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Good to knowFound by reading the town's documents

How was the price set for the town’s industrial land, when a councillor owns land in the same park?

$50,000an acre, for 4 acres sold in August 2025

On August 5, 2025 council sold 4.0 acres in the town’s industrial park to a company for $200,000, or $50,000 an acre. Councillor Eric Daoust declared that he owns property in the Industrial Park and stayed out. Council gave public notice before the vote. He has declared the same interest on industrial land items five times since May 2024. The town has not said how the price was set.

Why it matters

Declaring an interest and leaving the room is exactly what the law asks. The next question residents can fairly ask is whether the price was fair, because the sale of one lot can affect what nearby lots are worth.

It could be because…

  • The price may come from an appraisal or from earlier sales in the park, which the town has not posted.
  • A councillor who owns land in a small industrial park will often have to step out of those decisions.
  • Public notice before the final vote suggests the process was followed.

Questions you could ask

  1. How was $50,000 an acre set: an appraisal, earlier sales, or a policy price? Can the town post it?
  2. Were other buyers offered the land, or is there a list of buyers waiting?
  3. Does the town keep a public list of council members’ land in or near the park, so residents can see when a decision touches it?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The records that would answer this can be requested: How industrial land is priced, with wording you can copy.

The evidence

  1. By-law 2025-49: sells 4.0 acres of industrial land in the Marmora Industrial Park to EMCON Services Inc. “at a price of $50,000 per acre, for a total of $200,000”. Passed in open council on August 5, 2025.

    Council agenda package, August 5, 2025 · PDF page 78 of 80

  2. “Councillor Daoust declared a conflict of interest with item 12.1, a bylaw to sell 4.0 acres of industrial land in Marmora Industrial Park to EMCON Services Inc., as he owns property in Industrial Park.”

    Council minutes, August 5, 2025 · item 3.1, page 1

  3. His signed form for the open item on July 15, 2025 says: “Reason: I am an owner of property in the Industrial Park.” The folder holds five of his forms on industrial land: May 21, 2024, July 2, 2024, July 15, 2025 (closed and open items) and August 5, 2025.

    Declarations of Pecuniary Interest (folder) · file “2025-07-15 Declaration of Pecuniary Interest - Eric Daoust - Industrial Park (open).pdf”

  4. Separately, Mayor Jan O’Neill has filed forms saying she owns property in Riverside Pines, for a closed item on advice from the town’s lawyer (February 4, 2025): “advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege regarding Riverside Pines, as I own property in Riverside Pines.” Her forms on Riverside Pines are dated February 7, 2023, May 7, 2024, February 4, 2025 and February 18, 2025.

    Declarations of Pecuniary Interest (folder) · files “2025-02-04 Declaration of Pecuniary Interest - Jan O'Neill - RIverside Pines.pdf” and the other Riverside Pines files

↑ All questions

Good to knowFound by reading the town's documents

Why has the town changed its top administrator so often since 2024?

The chief administrative officer (CAO) is the top staff member, who runs the town day to day for council. The CAO resigned in July 2024, an interim CAO served from October 2024, and a new CAO started in November 2024. In August 2026 council went into closed session on a “CAO Resignation”, then named the treasurer as Acting CAO from August 29 to October 26, 2026, and an interim CAO from October 27 until a permanent one is hired. The treasurer’s job was also held by an acting person from late 2023 into 2024.

Why it matters

A town can keep running through turnover, but each change costs money (search firms, overlap, contract staff) and can slow projects. Residents are entitled to know the cost, even when the reasons are private staff matters.

It could be because…

  • People move on or retire. A small town has a small pool of qualified people and may compete with bigger ones.
  • Using an interim or acting person is a normal way to keep things running while a search is done.
  • The reasons are personal staff matters that council cannot share.

Questions you could ask

  1. What did the 2024 executive search and the interim arrangements cost, and what will the 2026 search cost?
  2. Is there a written plan for who takes over when senior staff leave?
  3. Did the town make the workforce plan KPMG recommended in 2023?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The records that would answer this can be requested: What the CAO searches and interim arrangements cost, with wording you can copy.

The evidence

  1. “CAO/Clerk … resigned her position effective July 24th, 2024.” The Mayor said council had “procured three search consultants” and hired an executive search firm; the minutes call that day “the recruitment kick-off meeting”.

    Council minutes, special meeting of August 18, 2024 · item 4, page 1 to 2

  2. By-law 2024-55 appointed an Interim CAO/Deputy Clerk (October 1, 2024). By-law 2024-72 appointed a CAO/Deputy Clerk (November 19, 2024). Closed-session items on “CAO Recruitment” appear at 6 special meetings between September 5 and October 28, 2024.

    Council minutes, October 1 and November 19, 2024 · October 1, 2024 minutes, item 13.3; the November 19, 2024 minutes (document 33186), item 13.4

  3. August 19, 2026: closed session, Re: CAO Resignation. August 20, 2026: council appointed the treasurer “as Acting CAO, effective from August 29 to October 26, 2026” and an interim CAO “effective on October 27, 2026, until such time as a permanent CAO can be hired and appointed” (By-law 2026-57).

    Council minutes, special meetings of August 19 and 20, 2026 · August 20, 2026 minutes, motion 2026-321; August 19 minutes are document 45875

  4. The staff list in the minutes shows an acting treasurer from November 2023 and a treasurer in place by October 2024. The town’s Contact page now lists the treasurer as “Acting CAO/Municipal Treasurer”.

    Municipality of Marmora and Lake, Contact page

  5. The outside budget review in January 2023 said staffing levels “have not kept pace with the growth in the demand for service” and recommended a workforce plan.

    KPMG Line-by-Line Review of the Municipal Budget · PDF page 14, observation 3.1

↑ All questions

Good to knowFound by reading the town's documents

Why did the town end 2025 with a $2.1 million surplus when it planned for $617,000?

$2,110,513draft 2025 surplus, against a budget of $616,677

These are draft numbers from the auditor’s package for the October 6, 2026 council meeting, not yet approved. The town’s revenue came in at $13.0 million against $12.0 million planned, and spending at $10.9 million against $11.4 million planned. Most of the surplus was moved into reserves: $1.7 million, against $88,520 planned. Reserves (savings kept for a purpose) rose from $4.3 million to $6.0 million in one year.

Why it matters

After a 16.9% rise in property tax in 2024 (worked out by us from property taxation of $5,381,470 in 2023 and $6,290,569 in 2024 in the audited statements), residents are owed an answer on whether the town is collecting more than it needs, or rebuilding savings it said were too low. The town’s own reports say the second.

It could be because…

  • The town’s own plan is to rebuild reserves. Its December 2025 asset plan says it needs a larger yearly contribution to replace aging roads and bridges.
  • Extra provincial grants (the Province’s line was $2.46 million against $2.05 million planned) and higher fees can arrive late in the year.
  • Some projects planned for 2025 may have slipped to 2026, leaving money unspent but promised.

Questions you could ask

  1. Which grants and fees came in above plan in 2025, and were they one-time?
  2. How much of the $1.7 million moved to reserves was planned for particular projects, and which?
  3. If the town is rebuilding reserves on purpose, will it publish a target (a dollar amount and a date) so residents can see when the catch-up ends?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The evidence

  1. Draft 2025 Consolidated Statement of Operations: total revenues $13,022,860 (budget $11,995,759); total expenses $10,912,347 (budget $11,379,082); annual surplus $2,110,513 (budget $616,677; 2024 actual $1,058,800).

    Council agenda package, October 6, 2026: draft 2025 financial statements (Baker Tilly KDN LLP) · PDF page 26 of 217

  2. Year-end presentation, reconciliation: transfer to reserves $1,706,214 in 2025 against $88,520 budgeted.

    Council agenda package, October 6, 2026: 2025 Marmora Year End Presentation · PDF page 74 of 217 (slide 12)

  3. Year-end presentation, accumulated surplus slide: total reserves and reserve funds $3,236,763 (December 2023), $4,305,532 (December 2024), $6,011,746 (December 2025, draft).

    Council agenda package, October 6, 2026: 2025 Marmora Year End Presentation · PDF page 73 of 217 (slide 11)

  4. The town’s own reason for raising more: on December 16, 2025 council approved a 2025 Asset Management Plan that “identifies a funding gap over the next ten years”, with “a minimum commitment to financing strategy Option 2”. Closing the gap would take about a 2.95% tax increase in 2026 and every year after that, about $177,000.

    2026 Draft Budget Report · pages 16 and 17

  5. The auditor’s draft letter says the audit is substantially complete, that Baker Tilly “anticipate that our Independent Auditor’s Report will be issued without modification”, and that it noted no significant issues on internal controls.

    Council agenda package, October 6, 2026: Baker Tilly audit letter · PDF pages 11 and 15 of 217

  6. Consolidated Statement of Operations, revenues: "Property taxation 6,213,165 6,290,569 5,381,470" (budget 2024, actual 2024, actual 2023).

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · Consolidated Statement of Operations and Accumulated Surplus, PDF page 7

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Good to knowFound automatically from financial reports

Why did the cost of roads and snow grow 49% in 5 years?

+49%roads and snow, 2019 to 2024

Marmora and Lake spent $1.8M on roads and snow in 2019 and $2.7M in 2024. Prices only went up about 18% in that time. Only 8 of 50 similar towns had faster growth here.

Why did the cost of roads and snow grow 49% in 5 years?
+49%
Show as a table
YearRoads and snowPrices (inflation)
2019+0%+0%
2020−5%+1%
2021+12%+4%
2022+38%+11%
2023+56%+16%
2024+49%+18%

Change since the first year shown. The grey line is how much prices rose overall, for comparison.

Why it matters

When one area grows much faster than prices, it is either doing more (which may be great) or paying more for the same thing. Residents deserve to know which.

It could be because…

  • The town added a service, a building or staff that residents asked for.
  • Costs were moved from another area, so the total did not really change.
  • Accounting rules changed how costs are sorted.
  • Large one-time costs, like a study, lawsuit or repair, landed in one year.

Questions you could ask

  1. Roads cost about $651,000 more a year in 2024 than in 2019. How much of that is higher prices, how much is wages and how much is payments on new equipment loans?
  2. Which roads got resurfaced or rebuilt in that time, and which are next?
  3. The 2025 year-end shows transportation spending below budget. What went unspent, and was it carried over?

You can ask during the public part of a council meeting, by writing to the clerk, or by contacting your councillors. How to reach council.

Speak for Marmora and Lake? Send us your answer and we will publish it with this question.

The records that would answer this can be requested: Road costs by account, 2019 to 2025, with wording you can copy.

The evidence

  1. Roads and snow: 2019 $1.8M, 2020 $1.7M, 2021 $2.0M, 2022 $2.5M, 2023 $2.8M, 2024 $2.7M.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy

  2. Biggest driver: Gravel roads, from $1.6M to $2.2M.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2019 to 2024 · Schedule 40 · archived copy

  3. Typical growth among similar towns: 31%. Marmora and Lake ranks 9th of 51.

    Ontario Financial Information Return (FIR), 2024, 50 similar municipalities · Schedule 40 · archived copy

  4. Where the growth sits in the Province’s numbers: roadways (road upkeep, Schedule 40 line 0612) went from $1,560,188 in 2019 to $2,211,339 in 2024. Winter control (snow and ice) went from $196,745 to $202,869, only 3% more. A transit line that did not exist in 2019 reached $201,793. Roads, transit and a few smaller lines add up to the $889,167 increase.

    Ontario FIR, Schedule 40, Transportation, lines 0612, 0621 and transit (as loaded on this site) · Schedule 40, 2019 and 2024 · archived copy

  5. The transit cost is paid for with provincial gas tax money: the audited statements show “Provincial gas tax earned” of $201,793 in 2024, and the 2024 budget lists “MTO Transit Provincial Funding ($197,000)” as a pass-through inside contracted services.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · PDF page 7; 2024 Final Budget page 21

  6. The town’s explanation of the 2024 transportation budget, up $340,050 to $3,071,825: wages (3% raise and a new office position, +$76,250); loan payments on new equipment (+$50,400); gravel, fuel and equipment repairs, insurance and training (+$120,800); contract and salt/sand costs (+$95,500); and $99,000 more into the bridge reserve.

    2024 Final Budget · page 21

  7. The town says the work area is large: the Transportation Department “maintains 215 km of roads in the summer and 430 km in the winter”.

    2026 Draft Budget Report · page 21

  8. The 2026 budget for the Transportation Department is $3,456,145, against $3,257,776 in 2025.

    2026 Final Budget · page 20

  9. Debt for equipment is part of the story: audited statements list new loans in 2024 for a tandem plow truck ($787,985 owing), a landfill compactor ($870,869) and the Crowe River Bridge ($653,145). Total long-term debt rose from $2,395,435 to $4,429,284 in 2024.

    Consolidated Financial Statements, December 31, 2024 · PDF pages 16 and 17, note 6

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