Several projects were crossed off the city’s shopping list before the proposed 2008 operating budget, a $201.7-million spending plan that calls for a 6.91-per-cent tax increase, was prepared for council’s approval.

In the community operations division, there were several environmental programs nixed: a $70,000 electronics recycling program, a graffiti removal program and a $225,000 investment to create a long-term waste management plan.

The city has no plan as to how it will handle its waste beyond 2024, the staff report said, but despite that, the city is not looking to introduce the diversion of electronics this year, nor the beginning of a study that will look at how the city will handle its waste once the Sandy Hollow Landfill Site closes.

The graffiti removal team – two people, along with supplies – was proposed to cost $178,200 for six months this year. Graffiti, however, has been an ongoing issue for Barrie, as the city struggles to control the growing profile of the unwanted “art”.

Also not making the budget this year were a couple of initiatives that support arts and culture: $10,000 to create and implement a public art policy, as well as another $9,635 for a summer student to assist in creating a weekly concert series throughout the summer.

Barrie’s senior administration also dropped a $130,000 project to upgrade the Magic of Winter program, which consists of 14 light displays in Heritage Park from the last week of November through the city’s Winterfest in February.

“The displays now require major refurbishing to function properly and to remain visually attractive,” the city’s budget and business plan form reads.

“The electronic components that control the animation are failing and can no longer be repaired, and the rope light on each display has been repaired so many times, the displays are now a mismatch of colours and brightness.”

Staying on the waterfront, Barrie staff had suggested spending $40,000 to hire a firm to control geese in waterfront parks.

“The City of Orillia has had a similar problem with geese in their waterfront parks and started with a program to control the geese in 2007 and has reported a reduction in geese populations,” the staff rationale said. Geese droppings litter not only grassed areas – which are not cleaned up by city staff – but also beaches and walkways, which are cleaned twice a week.

Barrie staff would also have liked to spend $50,000 on a community education program, to inform residents about the quality of the city’s water. The program would include elementary and secondary school programs, as well as a children’s water festival, appearances at home shows and publications.

Transit also wanted a summer student, to cover staff vacations. The $8,200 spent on a student would save on staff overtime, as well as increase staff safety during collecting cash from parking meters, as well as improve maintenance of meters.

Other positions not endorsed included a marketing promotions and research analyst, a community recreation program, a legal services file clerk, a business systems analyst, an accounts receivable clerk and a training director. Also dropped from the budget was a waste reduction co-ordinator and a waste reduction communications strategy.

City staff wanted $10,000 to complete a whistle-blowing study, in response to council’s request to investigate warning whistle requirements associated with GO trains, after receiving public complaints about the early-morning blasts.

Barrie’s senior administration also excluded a request to spend $25,000 to improve the city’s reputation as it seeks to hire staff.

“Recruitment data for the last two years shows that a number of positions were difficult to fill and the life cycle went well beyond the average of 40.8 days. Two non-union positions took more than a year to fill,” the staff rationale reads.

“The identification of an employer brand will allow the corporation to revisit its core values and establish, not only for the community and potential applicants why they should work here, but also engage our current staff in the same realization.”