With $34K left in the budget, Borden-Carleton tightening its belt

The town of Borden-Carleton, P.E.I, is tightening its purse strings for the rest of the fiscal year after what officials are calling a much more costly year than planned.

The annual $776,000 budget is coming up short of where the town would like it to be, according to chief administrative officer Wendy McIsaac. The last monthly statement, at the end of December, showed just $34,000 left.

"The fire department had made a request for a new rescue toboggan," said McIsaac.

"Council is in support of that expenditure, but council decided that that expenditure would happen in a new fiscal year."

McIsaac said the situation is not as dire as the month-end statement in December might suggest revenue is still coming in but some restraint will be required to get through to the end of March, when the fiscal year ends.

"Nice-to-haves, that are not necessary, we will definitely be putting those to the side and really focusing on maintaining the quality of service that we do provide," she said.

McIsaac suspects many P.E.I. municipalities are taking a close look at budgets and expenditures as the fiscal year winds down.

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