Interview with Mayor Jerry Acchione - March 4th 2024

Monday, 4 March 2024 at 10:29

Mayor Acchione says the 2024 Revenue Fund Budget has been the toughest budget he has ever worked on throughout his nine-year political career.

WOODSTOCK - Budget talks continue in the City of Woodstock this week.

City Council will receive the budgets for the Woodstock Art Gallery, the Woodstock Public Library, and the Woodstock Police Services Board during this Thursday's meeting.

Mayor Jerry Acchione says the police board budget is being affected by a new Police Act that will take effect on April 1st. He adds it consists of lots of regulations including a minimum number of street officers, which can be hard to predict when you have officers away due to illness or injury.

"They are so hard to predict and it has really made police forces kind of inflate, if I can use that word, in order to make sure you have your minimum number of officers available."

The Woodstock Police Service currently has 13 officers off work on long-term WSIB, and it would like to hire five additional officers this year.

Council is hoping to approve the 2024 Revenue Fund Budget on March 21st, and Mayor Acchione says it has been the toughest budget he has ever worked on throughout his nine-year political career.

"Inflation has kind of kicked us where we don't need it and the growth we're having and experiencing right now isn't helping us. So we've got some tough decisions ahead of us."

Acchione adds you should reach out to members of council if there is you would like to see in the budget, or if there is something you would like removed.

This Thursday's City Council meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. and it will be livestreamed on the City of Woodstock YouTube page. You can also find the meeting agenda online here.

During his interview with Dan and Marcie this morning, Mayor Acchione also discussed the following:

- A proposal to close McQueen Street so a multi-residential building could be built.

- An upcoming reconstruction project for Cambridge Street.

- The Woodstock Navy Vets playoff run.

- His thoughts on today's Daily Debate (Do you shower primarily facing the water or with your back against the water?)

You can listen to the full interview below: