“Of note, is the fact that our revenues were actually about $500,000 higher than projected,” said Councillor Colleen Feeney who chairs the town’s committee for finance and administration. “We’re happy that at least it was a break-even, despite the costs for snow removal.”

According to Feeney, the small surplus was made possible partly through savings from low financing costs. However, there were also higher returns from taxes and property transfer duties, and savings achieved on the recycling of waste. Despite that, the town’s expenses are up for things like employee pension fund contributions, as well as insurance and legal costs.

“But the main reason was the snow removal for 2008,” said Feeney. “Even though we ended the year fairly well — September to December wasn’t too bad — we just really couldn’t get over the extraordinary costs the town had to spend in the beginning of 2008. So, in fact, our snow removal costs came in $536,000 over budget.”

In terms of capital expenses, Montreal West invested about $7 million last year, primarily for street reconstruction. The town bought new equipment, including a pickup truck, a street sweeper and a Zamboni ice-resurfacer for the arena. About $30,000 in repairs were done on the John A. Simms Community Centre.

Despite the surplus, Feeney said the town must still bear the cost of deficits carried over. “When we add our surplus of this year to the prior year’s deficits, we still are left with a deficit of about $260,000,” she said. Last year’s budget set out that $130,000 of the 2008 expenses would be financed through the 2009 budget. As well, $130,000 of this year’s budget is being carried over to next year.

In other business during the meeting, Councillor Beny Masella, who handles the public security dossier, reported that the town has increased the presence of public security officers by 24 hours a week as a result of a rash of thefts from cars.

“Unfortunately in most cases the vehicles were left unlocked,” he said. Because of several recent incidents of unleashed dogs biting residents, public security has been asked to be more vigilant enforcing the dog leash bylaw. “After an initial warning, they will be ticketing re-offenders,” said Masella