Canoe FM's Elizabeth Oakley reports that Minden Hills Mayor Enacts Strong Mayors Veto on Budget Amendments for Monday, Jan. 19
5 pm newscast:

Balancing priorities and preparing for the unknown, while keeping the taxpayers’ burden as low
as possible is a tough job, but it’s one Minden Hills Mayor Bob Carter takes seriously. That’s
why he’s chosen to enact the Strong Mayors power he’s been given to veto eight amendments
already passed by council during the 2026 Budget deliberations.
Carter and Dysart et Al Mayor Murray Fearrey are the only two heads of council granted the
Strong Mayor powers in May of 2025. Among other specifics, this power allows them to veto
any budget amendments they feel do not meet the needs of their communities.
When Mayor presented the proposed budget to council on Dec. 15, the tax increase for
residents was 3 point nine five per cent. Councilors then passed 25 amendments to this year’s
budget to include charges that were unknown or unavailable at the time of the original budget.
Others were to correct errors or omissions.
Carter spoke with CanoeFM earlier today to explain what amendments he vetoed and the
rationale behind them. The majority of these involved adding back items that appeared in the
first draft of the budget but had been voted out by councilors.
Carter chose to bring back the Riverwalk lighting project, the sidewalk/crosswalk project, a
pickup truck for plowing of public lots along with a new staff person to operate it. Carter
reinstated both the moloks and the organics program in order to divert and extend the life of
the landfill. He also included a bulldozer for use at the landfill site and halted plans for the old
fire hall.
The tax increase for Minden Hills under the latest iteration of the 2026 budget is 4 point four six
per cent.
Mayor Carter said unless council voices opposition to the vetoed items, the budget will come
up for passage at the January 29 th meeting.