Conflict and snags dog Hamilton citizen budget experiment

The experiment to allow Ward 2 residents to vote on how to spend $1 million of city money has hit major snags, amid rising tensions between the local councillor and the citizen-run committee tasked with overseeing the project.

In late August, for the first time in the lower-city ward, residents went to the polls to vote on how to use $1 million from the councillors discretionary budget.

NowCoun. Jason Farrisreviewing the process for 2014 after a rocky first year of the voting, which saw confusion over where residents were supposed to go to the polls.

In addition, some of the winning projects might have to be scaled down, revised or even scrapped based upon feedback from city staff about their feasibility.

I have an obligation in 2014 to the 40,000 people in Ward 2 to make certain how it went in 2013," said Farr.

"As we said from day one in 2012, we said, Its the first year.Its not going to be perfect. Were going to have to tweak as we go. Were going to make sure itget better.'At the end, obviously, I wanted to make sure I do my due diligence as an elected official. Its $1 million.

The headaches of the programs first year raise the possibility that the will of the voters wont be reflected in the projects that get funded.

• RELATED:New Chinese garden, multicultural fest winners in $1M vote

ResidentJoanna Millions submitted two successful proposals one for a safer, more accessible set of stairs and ramp at the Victoria StreetSouth access to the Escarpment Rail Trail, and the other 10 solar-powered trash compactors for Hamilton parks.

But in a meeting in November, she learned that the access could cost much more than its allotted $100,000. Millions, an electrical engineer, said city staff also told her were they were only prepared to purchase one or two of the trash compactors.

I was very disappointed into city staffs reaction to a lot ofthings, she said. A lot of them forgot that theyre supposed to work with [residents] to improve the city.

But the money, which comes from Farr's area-rating capital budget, cannot in most cases go toward projects that wouldhave an impact on the citys operating budget, he said. Thatpotentially rules out new programs orinfrastructurethat would require a lot of maintenance by city staff.

• RELATED:Poll changes lead to 'bumpy start' for Ward 2 budget vote

Changing the way we collect garbage, particularly heavy garbage, because thats what those compactors compress all of that is additional operating cost, Farr said.

Millionsexpected working with staff would mean minor changesto the projects. Butshe wonders whyprojects were allowed on the ballot even after the participatory budgeting team had city staff vet each proposal'sfeasibility only to be iced after the vote.

All of this information should have come ahead of time, Millions said.

Growing tensions

These revelations come amid growing tension between Farr and members of Participatory Budgeting Ward 2s (PBW2)organizing team.

Norman Kearney, the projects founder and interim facilitator, accused Farrof overstepping his bounds byconducting a review of the process on his own. ThePBW2office shouldconduct the review independently, he said.

• RELATED: POINT OF VIEW: Why you should care about participatory budgeting in Hamilton

In an email dated Dec. 20, Farr told Kearney that his office had been doingits own review, and the results would be ready shortly.

When the review is complete, Wwwill be taking an approach to the 2014 PBW2 initiative in a manner that differs from your method of delivery, Farr wrote.

Through an open public meeting and with the assistance of all our neighbourhood associations, we will devise this structure of implementation.

ButKearney says the terms of reference that were developed to govern how participatory budgeting is run. These rules give the office the authority to review and administer the process.Farr helped develop and approved those rules, Kearneysaid.

'This is my job'

If the councillor chooses to depart from his prior commitments and to unilaterally dictate the terms on how residents participatethen this will signal the end of genuine participatory budgeting in Ward 2.

Farr told CBC Hamilton that he signed nothing and only committed to Normans terms of reference for the initial 2013 vote. But he invited the PBW2officials to conduct their own consultations and report back.

This is my job, said Farr of his review. This is $1 million of taxpayers' money. Its something thats never been done before in downtown its been done twice before in Ward 1 and its important for the Ward 2councillor, whos inevitably responsible for this initiative.

My interest is to continue the initiative at $1 million and maintain it in a positive way, because this thing is all good news," he added. "Its an all-good-news story.

"Im not the kind of guy to get caught up in some sort of drama.