THUNDER BAY -- Halfway through the 2017 municipal budget process, few issues have taken more time on the floor than the future of the Clean, Green and Beautiful Committee.
The proposed budget recommends the committee's funds be reduced to $40,000 from the policy-based allotment of $300,000.
Supportive councilors describe the cuts as "devastating" while administration poses whether it's worth the cost for a citizen board to define the character of new infrastructure.
"We feel this kind of budget cut to these initiatives is diminishing the work that is being done and we don't want the clean green and beautiful features to fall to the wayside in larger capital projects," said committee vice chairwoman Shannon Costigan in a deputation she gave to council on Jan. 31.
Since Clean Green and Beautiful was formed in 2007, its hand has been visible in virtually every natural and cultural addition to new infrastructure builds. From the city's gateway entrances to city hall, its guiding principles of environmental and cultural design have changed the way Thunder Bay imagines public space.
"The Bay/Algoma area is that perfect example of what clean, green and beautiful enhancements do to a neighbourhood," Costigan said.
"That's the type of neighbourhood our city wants to see happen and it's the kind of neighbourhood that our city council has set the priorities toward developing and supporting."
As a portion of $2.8 million administration has identified in reduced costs, city officials argue they can carry on the city's clean, green and beautiful vision.
City construction manager Gerry Broere told council on Jan. 31 administration will continue to contribute one per cent of all capital to those initiatives and as much as 30 per cent of some infrastrucutre builds will reflect environmental and cultural values, as directed by council.
"We have, in fact, embedded those sorts of initiatives and that philosophy in our capital and I think you're starting to see that in some of the development we do," Broere said.
"We don't just do the inside pieces of a buliding anymore. We do extend it out onto the street, out into the public. It is happening already."
When the debate opened again at budget meetings on Tuesday, it was clear the Clean, Green and Beautiful Committee's continued existence is in question.
Even as committee chairwoman and Coun. Rebecca Johnson suggested the cuts could be fatal, she also leaned toward supporting the reduction on a one-time basis.
"I can accept -- although I don't like it -- because I think everyone has to take a cut this year but going on beyond this year, I won't say what will happen with that committee," Johnson said.
"Clean, green and beautiful has now become an established branding for our community. If we don't have a committee, I don't know how you're going to be able to undertake that."
Current River Coun. Andrew Foulds echoed Johnson's fears that the proposed 2017 budget could cause the committee to dissolve.
"If they don't feel they have any value to the corporation, they're just going to quit," Foulds said. "However we operationalize that policy, that the committee continues to feel valued is an important principle to me."
Neebing Coun. Linda Rydholm argued the city has been undertaking similar projects for decades without the clean, green and beautiful brand. She praised administration's efforts to find efficiencies and urged council to trust their employees.
"Staff have recommended this as one area that won't hurt as much as some other reductions so let's see how it works for a year," she said.
Westfort Coun. Joe Virdiramo, Mayor Keith Hobbs and Coun. Iain Angus all spoke highly of the committee's value and expertise but it was Northwood Coun. Shelby Ch'ng who proposed a motion to add $160,000 to its budget and restore it to 2016 levels.
That motion was deferred until Thursday's budget meeting when relevant members of administration are expected to be available.
Ch'ng said her issue wasn't the move to "completely annihilate" a long-standing committee. She cited the program's proven ability to leverage money from other levels of government as it led social and environmental development.
"This committee plays a very important role in how we feel about our community," she said.
"I hope the rest of council will be open minded and understand this program affects our citizens on a very deep level and I cannot sit here in the name of cuts and efficiency say, 'this is the right thing to do' when I don't believe it."
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story listed Coun. Ch'ng's motion as restoring $200,000 to the committee. The motion was to restore its budget to $200,000, a funding increase of $160,000.
