City staff have recommended city council move the proposed $30-million 2015 capital budget as is, without making any changes when council votes on second and third readings next week.

Valerie Anderson, the city’s financial manager, brought forward the recommendation at Monday’s city council meeting after presenting a public input report on the budget.

The Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce was the only organization to make a presentation at the public input session held last week.

However, Anderson said, the city also received four written submissions and five comments about the plan from the city’s new interactive budget tool.

A major focus of the public input was on the building consolidation project. That would see the city move a number of operations out of numerous buildings downtown into a new building off Range Road and Two Mile Hill near the Public Safety Building.

While many operational components of the city, like the maintenance of city buses, would move there, another smaller building will share space with city hall. That structure will deal with such day-to-day services as development permits and the like.

The entire project is budgeted at $55 million, with the city anticipating spending of $21 million in 2015 and provisional plans showing spending on the project of $33.8 million in 2016 and $1.5 million in 2017.

In its presentation to council, the chamber emphasized the importance of local contractors, suppliers and workers to benefit from the project.

It also stressed the importance of the city moving forward with plans to revitalize the downtown area as a number of city workers get set to move out of the city’s core as businessesdepending on downtown workers coming by on their lunch or shopping after work adjust to fewer city workers in the area.

In her report to council last night, Anderson emphasized: “The City of Whitehorse strives to obtain the maximum economic benefit in the acquisitions of all goods and services that it acquires from all qualified suppliers.

“The City of Whitehorse’s ‘Purchasing and Sales Policy’ provides the guidelines for all procurement activities. As such, local suppliers are afforded every opportunity to compete for the city’s business.”

Coun. Kirk Cameron was also quick to note his support for creating opportunities for local business and artisans with the project, with new city buildings subject to the city’s policy aimed at ensuring there is local art in public buildings.

Cameron noted in this case he is open about his bias, favouring local opportunities.

He also pointed out that residents want to see the work of Yukon artists in local facilities, and stressed that ways to strengthen support for local artists should be considered.

Anderson then noted that art is a council policy which already has a strong local preference component. It’s unlikely any art will be sought for the new buildings until 2017, giving council two years to consider art for the new buildings.

Coun. Betty Irwin suggested the city’s sustainability policies should also incorporate the benefits of going to local contractors and suppliers.

Looking to downtown development, Anderson noted the city has made that a priority with the reconstruction of several streets, housing initiatives and the Downtown South-Clay Cliffs Park implementation.

“In addition to these projects, the city looks forward to further opportunities with the chamber to ensure a vibrant downtown core,” she said.

Irwin noted she hopes to get more detail from the chamber on what they’d like to see done to accelerate redevelopment in the downtown.

While the chamber focused most of its comments on the building consolidation project, Anderson noted a number of other written comments came in.

They were focused on recycling, following council’s decision to sole-source a $100,000 contract (with the 2014 capital budget adjusted to fund the contract) for Morrison Hershfield Ltd. to come up with a plan for a curbside recycling collection program begin next year. Residents would be required to pay a monthly fee for it, currently estimated at $15.

The Yukon Blue Bin Society currently offers a collection program, with voluntary participants paying $20 per month for the twice-monthly collection service.

“Many comments were received on recycling and will be addressed with the operating budget,” Anderson said.

She then pointed to the 2013 Solid Waste Action Plan, which calls for a 50 per cent diversion rate at the landfill by 2015.

“Recognizing that the existing system for funding recycling in the territory is not sustainable, administration researched other options for funding and supporting recycling,” she said.

“The most viable option is a residential recycling collection service that would fund both the collection and processing of recyclable materials.”

A survey and information is currently underway – and available at www.whitehorse.ca/recycling – to look at how to deliver the program.

Another written submission requested that Dogwood Street in Porter Creek be reconstructed, a proposal Anderson noted has come forward in the past, but is not seen as a priority.

“This project has been considered in prior years, and for 2017, it was proposed that the project proceed as a local improvement project with a portion of the funding coming from area residents,” she said.

“However, due to other similar capital budget requests, this project was not prioritized at this time. Engineering staff will continue to monitor the condition of this road and will likely bring forward a budget submission again this year.”

Trails were also an issue for a number of residents who requested trail enhancements and lighting along the Millennium Trail near Spook Creek Station.

Cross Country Yukon also requested the paving of a three- to five-kilometre trail over existing trails at the Whitehorse Cross-Country Ski Club to allow for safe off-season training and more recreational opportunities for residents.

Anderson pointed out the 2015 to 2018 provisional plan calls for $225,000 to be spent on continuing to implement the city’s trail plan in addition to $200,000 for resurfacing existing paved trails.

The requests made as part of the budget consultation will go to the city’s trail committee for future consideration, but Anderson also noted the city is encouraging Cross Country Yukon to pursue other funding options.

A few other ideas that came in through the city’s online budget tool included putting in more berry gardens at city parks, and street and infrastructure improvements for Old Town.

Support was noted for a new skateboard park and a proposed seniors’ home in Riverdale.

In addition to the public input opportunities, the city also met with the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, which raised no concerns about the spending plan, but asked that it be consulted as the city plans for intersection improvements at McIntyre Drive and Hamilton Boulevard, near Race Trac Gas.

Council will vote on the budget next week.