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Some restrictions may apply. Please see store for complete details. After CABINET REFACING AND COUNTERTOPS Before AS SEEN ON w w w . o a kv ill eb ea ve r.c o m O A KV IL LE B EA V ER Fr id ay , Ja nu ar y 7, 2 01 1 4 Budget for an addition/renovation of Town Hall, which was funded by development charges. We built utilizing the budget as was provid- ed in the capital forecast and as was provided already in the development charge reserve, she said. It wasnt a question of us building, antic- ipating money coming. We built because the money was already there and the plan was to build it when the population grew to a certain number, so that we could meet the needs of the people of Oakville without having an impact on the tax base. Mulvale also criticized Burtons mayors suite renovations for lacking transparency. Burton said council did approve the building budget, of which his mayors suite renovations were part, but said he does not recall council being asked to approve the fine details of what was being done and said this has not been the practice in the past. Councils role is to run a big picture opera- tion, he said. It doesnt get into who has enough thumb- tacks. Mulvale said during her Town Hall renova- tions a councillor was appointed by council to report back on budget progress, process, etc. Mulvale was not able to say how much was spent on mayors suite renovations during her time as mayor as, she said, the cost was never separated from the overall cost of the Town Hall renovation. One Freedom of Information item, however, shows a more than $3,500 charge for two barrel chairs for the mayors office from June 26, 2006 when Mulvale was mayor. Ward 5 Town and Regional Councillor Jeff Knoll said he was completely surprised by the nearly $250,000 renovation total stating the new changes are no improvement. The bottom line was we went from more offices to less offices. The argument was that we needed more meeting rooms and those meeting rooms are rarely used, said Knoll. The giant one with the $11,000 table youre telling me about, that room rarely gets used a couple times a week type of thing. It was argued we would do in camera meetings in there and we have done that a couple times over the course of the term, but not enough to justi- fy the change. Knoll also took issue with so much money being spent on new furniture as, he said, all of the existing furniture had only recently been purchased during the 2002 renovation. Knoll said he had no knowledge the expens- es for the renovations reached the level they did stating this was not an item he was specifically asked to approve in the budget. Normally our professional staff present very reasoned and solid budgets and for the most part council doesnt necessarily deconstruct every budget, he said. Its not something councillors normally do, unless you are sort of tipped off that something was going to happen or unless you were con- cerned. I had no concern, because I had no knowledge of the extent or the magnitude of the renovations. Ward 1 Town Councillor Ralph Robinson said he was aware of the expenses because he was shown the recommended plans, which Town staff brought forward from the manage- ment budget. Robinson said he had no issue with the costs involved because the renovations created con- siderably more storage and meeting space. Councillor opinions vary on value of office renovations Continued from page 3 See Boardroom page 5 MEETING ROOM: This boardroom table cost $11,348.62. TO THE CITIZENS OF OAKVILLE; AGAIN, WE THANK YOU, OAKVILLE COMMUNITY! ! On behalf of m embers of the Roya l Canadian Legion , the Oakville nch 11 4, we are pleased t o offer our Bra warmest THANK S or your generous co n g for your generous co tributions d urin the 2010 Poppy Dr ive. Your participation has made this year s campaign an out standing record success, which will enable the Legion to prov ide support and assista nce to our many Oakville area Veter ans and related charit able organizations . Brian L. Ray RCL Br. 11 4, Poppy Chair Ethel Eastwood Pop py Co-Chair William N. Shields President O THE CITIZEN S T Thank Youhank