Published Apr 13, 2025 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 4 minute readKentville Mayor Andrew Zebian and Coun. Cathy Maxwell are pleased to see a section of Bridge Street will be repaved this year following approval of the $12-million capital budget. Photo by Jason Malloy /Annapolis Valley RegisterPaving, rink repairs and construction of the Donald E. Hiltz Connector Road are key components of Kentville’s $12-million capital budget.Council approved the 2025-26 plan April 7 during a special council meeting. Coun. Rob Baker was the lone councillor to vote against the motion.“It gets back to basics, which are roads and our facilities that do need the repairs right away,” Mayor Andrew Zebian said.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentHe called it an “effective” plan that hit on everything he would have done.“What I like to see is practical, basic projects.”Recommended from Editorial Contract for Kentville Business Park’s connector road goes to Howard Little Excavating Kentville funding for water and waste water will open up hundreds of acres for new development The work includes paving sections of Main and Bridge streets in and near the downtown core. Zebian said the Main Street section is near the intersection with Chester Avenue where motorists have been crawling along for weeks due to the deteriorating condition of the road.Tenders are open for both projects.“I acknowledge that there’s other roads that need to be repaved,” Zebian said, but “money only goes so far.”A new condenser will be installed and electrical upgrades completed at Centennial Arena, which was forced to close a few weeks earlier this season due to failed equipment.The budget covers 42 projects, including replacing the footbridge behind the Walter Wood Playground, sidewalk work on Prospect Avenue and the addition of batting cages at Memorial Park. The Kentville Minor Baseball Association has secured 80 per cent of the cost for the cages with the town contributing the remaining $15,000.Article contentCouncil also approved the $151,817 sanitary sewer capital budget and received the five-year capital plan, which can be revisited once strategic priorities are determined.The tax rates won’t be set until an operating budget is approved. A proposed budget is expected to be presented to council in the next few weeks.DeferredDirector of finance Wanda Matthews presented a draft five-year capital plan to council in late March. The 2025-26 component was reduced by about $5 million by deferring projects to future years before the April 7 meeting.“It’s been trimmed. There’s no fat left on it,” Zebian said.Deferred projects included a drone for the police department, benches and bike racks as well as a public washroom on Station Lane.“I understand that we’re trying to shave this down as much as we can,” Coun. Cate Savage said. “I think it’s really, really important to have some public washrooms.”She said there was a good discussion at the police commission about the need for a drone.Article content“There’s all kinds of things we could really utilize,” Chief Marty Smith said. “Can we do our job without it? Yes. Can we do it better with it? Yes.”Zebian said there was also work at the arena deferred as the town needs to decide what it wants to do with the facility long-term.Looking aheadThe 2026-27 capital plan, which doesn’t have to be approved until next year, is showing nearly $15.7 million while the five-year plan totalled $49.4 million.Baker said he was uncomfortable putting things off to future years, noting significant debt service rate increases are in the proposed five-year plan.“We’re up against the wall next year,” he said. “I think we’re just putting off into the future what we’re afraid to look at right now.”He said costs continue to rise, pointing to the condenser going from about $50,000 to $220,000 in a few years.“We’re just putting off the inevitable.”Other councillors said they need to go through a strategic planning process to set priorities. Deputy Mayor Debra Crowell, who was the town’s director of finance for 25 years before retiring in 2022, said such an initiative hasn’t occurred in at least eight years.Article contentInterim chief administrative officer Kevin Matheson said a long-term discussion, looking upwards of 50 years down the road, is required.“We have streets that are 60 years old that haven’t been resurfaced. And we don’t have a master plan of how we’re going to deal with it,” he said.“We’ve got to look at everything we have, we have to see what our infrastructure deficit is and start planning to put money aside. And it’s going to be painful.”The town, like other municipalities, is facing a variety of challenges. They include the uncertain economic times, escalating costs, the impact of climate change on infrastructure and growing requests due to deferred maintenance and purchases.The town has secured about $5 million from external sources and is hoping to be successful in other grant applications.By the departmentA look at how Kentville’s $12-million capital budget for 2025-26 will be spent by department.Public works – $10.5058 million.Parks and recreation – $1.1283 million.Police – $186,400.Administration – $101,500.Economic development – $78,000.Article content
Kentvilles capital budget gets back to basics: Mayor
