Saint John agendas: 2027 draft budgets, Goldsworthy Road rezoning and transit bus replacements on the table
Three City of Saint John bodies were scheduled to meet in the past two weeks — the Public Safety Committee on Oct. 15, Common Council on Oct. 19 and the Planning Advisory Committee on Oct. 20 — but only agendas have been published for all three. Minutes are not yet available, so no decisions, votes or outcomes can be reported from those meetings. What follows is what each body was set to consider, based on the published agendas.
Common Council: Milford Road hearing, transit buses
Council's Oct. 19 agenda included a public hearing on a proposed Section 59 amendment at 460 Milford Road / 40 Sealedge Court. A public hearing is a scheduled opportunity for residents to speak to a proposal; the agenda does not state an outcome.
Also listed was an agreement for transit bus replacements through the Canada Public Transit Fund. The agenda summary does not include a dollar figure or contract value.
Other items on the Council agenda:
- A proposed renaming of a section of chemin Drury Cove Road.
- Non-conforming use standards for a vehicle repair garage at 4-6 McLaughlin Crescent.
- A license agreement with NB Power for tree clearing in the Saint John Corridor Project.
Public Safety Committee: police governance and traffic enforcement
The Public Safety Committee's Oct. 15 open session was to review a proposed Saint John Police Commission mandate and a competency-based selection process for the commission.
The agenda also listed a referral from Council on red light cameras and electronic speed enforcement, and a police request to regulate the sale of bear spray in the City of Saint John.
Two further items were scheduled: retention of a consultant for a Comprehensive Community Risk Assessment (CRA), and an application to the Rail Safety Improvement Program. No amounts or consultant names appear in the agenda summary.
Planning Advisory Committee: 100 Goldsworthy Road
The Planning Advisory Committee was to consider a request to amend the Municipal Plan and rezone 100 Goldsworthy Road / Doyles Lane from Rural to Rural Residential to allow for 10 new lots.
A public hearing was also scheduled on a variance for a lot at the same location that is accessed via a private road and does not front a public street.
A third item — restoration of the building at 4-6 McLaughlin Crescent — was rescheduled to Nov. 17, according to the agenda. The same address also appears on Council's Oct. 19 agenda under non-conforming use standards for a vehicle repair garage.
Finance Committee to open 2027 budget drafts
The next scheduled session is the Finance Committee's open session on Oct. 28, where draft 2027 budgets are to be reviewed. The agenda covers:
- 2027 General Fund Operating Budget
- 2027 General Fund Capital Budget
- 2027-2031 General Fund 5 year Capital Investment Plan
- 2027 Utility Fund Operating Budget
- 2027 Utility Fund Capital Budget
These are draft budgets for discussion. The agenda does not include proposed tax rates, totals or spending figures, and no votes are recorded in the material available.
Coming up
- **Oct. 28 — Finance Committee, open session.** Draft 2027 General Fund and Utility Fund operating and capital budgets, plus the 2027-2031 General Fund 5 year Capital Investment Plan. This is the first look at next year's spending plans and the meeting most likely to draw residents interested in taxes and services.
- **Nov. 17 — Planning Advisory Committee.** Restoration of the building at 4-6 McLaughlin Crescent, rescheduled from the Oct. 20 agenda.
Minutes for the Oct. 15, Oct. 19 and Oct. 20 meetings had not been published as of Oct. 26. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes, vote tallies or amounts should consult the official agendas and minutes posted by the City of Saint John.