The mayor of Essex is asking council to consider implementing a hiring freeze within the Town for 2025.
Sherry Bondy issued a notice of motion during Monday's council meeting to implement the hiring freeze for any newly created full-time and part-time positions within the Town effective immediately.
The notice of motion will be presented to council at the following meeting for discussion.
Bondy says while staff is needed within the Town, she's worried about the potential impacts to the 2025 Budget for hiring new staff.
The 2025 Budget outlook was presented to council on Monday night, which already showed an increase to taxes for fixed items, such as a 3.3 per cent tax rate increase for the Ontario Provincial Police contract renewal, and a 3.1 per cent impact for new union contracts.
She says these fixed impacts have her concerned, and she doesn't want residents to have to pay a large tax increase next year.
"We're looking at a 3.3 per cent tax increase just for our contract with the OPP that is increasing. We're looking at 2 per cent for asset replacements, we also have contract renewals within our own staff. So how much more can we ask of our residents, time are really challenging out there."
Bondy says she's aware there would be cons to moving forward with this motion.
"Maybe there are less amenities we offer, less services we offer, maybe there could be a little bit more overtime perhaps, we may do a little bit less, but that's a discussion for council to have."
She says this would be strictly for new positions.
"So this doesn't include our summer positions, we did just get a grant for a one-year position, it doesn't include that. It also doesn't include if somebody retires, or leaves the Town, we would replace those current positions."
Bondy says council will be presented with the projected tax increase for 2025 by the end of the month, but as of right now it's roughly an 8 per cent increase.
The notice of motion will be discussed at Essex's next meeting on November 18.
