A pilot project in Saugeen Shores that would have seen in-ground garbage containers placed in public areas has been put on hold.
Council had rubber-stamped $25,000 to be spent on the in-ground containers, which hold about 15-times more waste because the cylinder extends underground, but several councillors reversed their votes when it came time for final approval.
Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau said he's not opposed to the idea of in-ground garbage containers, but did not want to see municipal staff burdened with additional items in the budget to complete.
"The capital budget is calibrated to fill staff's time, they have a certain amount of time, they proposed a budget that they could complete," said Charbonneau. "And if we keep adding more projects, then we reduce their ability to complete the projects we asked them to complete in the 2018 budget, so we don't want to do that."
Mayor Mike Smith supported the project and said it's not uncommon for council to add to its budget after it has been passed.
"It's not unusual for council to add things to the budget, that happens all the time, I think there was a request the meeting before to add more money for another particular item, so it's not unusual," said Smith. "It was a lot of money, but that's what you have reserve funds for and that's what you have development funds for."
Smith said he expects the in-ground garbage containers project to be back in front of council for 2019 budget talks.
