UCPR puts $110,000 trail request into 2027 budget process

L’ORIGNAL — United Counties of Prescott and Russell council has put a request to raise annual funding for the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail into its 2027 budget process — but it has not approved the money.

At its Aug. 26 meeting, council carried a motion directing administration to include a request to renegotiate the trail’s existing agreement, increasing annual support from $50,000 to about $110,000.

“We’re asking for a dollar for every resident in Prescott-Russell every year,” trail director Eric Collard told council.

The distinction matters. The motion places the request among the items staff will prepare for the 2027 budget. It is not an appropriation, a signed renegotiated agreement or a commitment that the additional $60,000 will be funded. Staff explained during the discussion that inclusion in the forecast was part of the budget process and that the request could still be accepted or declined when council considers the budget.

Collard and Michel Villeneuve made the delegation. They asked council to reopen the existing funding arrangement, arguing the multi-use trail needs more reliable operating support. Collard said the organization estimates roughly $1 million in short- to medium-term work is needed across the network; that was the trail organization’s estimate, not a county staff budget figure.

“The infrastructure bills are only getting bigger and bigger,” Collard said.

▶ Watch Collard make the funding case — 0:17:17

▶ Watch Collard describe the repair pressure — 0:19:30

Council members also pressed the delegation on the scale of the request and the trail’s long-term plan. The exchange included a question about whether the trail could become a “money pit,” followed by Collard’s explanation of the projected work.

▶ Watch the long-term funding question — 0:22:55

▶ Watch Collard describe the trail group’s $1-million estimate — 0:23:04

UCPR has now confirmed the formal record: this was Resolution 2026-152, moved by Russell Mayor Mike Tarnowski and seconded by Warden Geneviève Lajoie. UCPR says votes were not recorded for the resolution. The chair declared it carried; there is no recorded vote count or roll call to report.

▶ Watch the motion, budget-process explanation and vote — 0:28:20

In a Sept. 16 email to The Rustler, UCPR confirmed the resolution number, exact wording, mover, seconder and that the $110,000 remains for council’s consideration through the 2027 budget process. It is not approved funding.

Update, Sept. 16, 2026: UCPR provided the formal resolution details after this story was first published. The story now identifies Resolution 2026-152 and clarifies that votes were not recorded. This version also adds quotations from the official Aug. 26 council recording.