Town of Bonnyville council has approved the final operational and capital budgets for 2018.
The balanced operating budget comes in at $22.6-million. On the capital side for 2018, the town is looking at approximately $12.7-million in expenses, with a total revenue of just over $13-million.
Operating budget
As a result of the two per cent municipal tax increase, the 2018 operating budget includes an overall jump of $166,883 in municipal taxes over 2017.
A little over $3.24-million is budgeted for roads, streets, walks and lighting, including $252,000 for annual repair and maintenance. For police, expenses sit at $2.2-million with just under $727,000 in revenue expected to come in from fines, grants, and rental income, for a total contribution of close to $1.5-million.
Close to $950,000 is set to go towards the Centennial Centre, slightly less than what was expected in the interim budget.
“There’s a decrease in C2 funding, which also decreases the amount required from the Regional Community Development Agreement (RCDA) to balance the operating budget,” explained director of finance Renee Stoyles. “The decrease in the C2 funding is due to our decreased population, the census numbers.”
Since the interim budget, which was approved in December, changes to the operating budget include a drop in insurance premiums and increase in heat and fuel. There was additional funding for summer students under the Métis Youth Summer Placement Program, along with an increased contribution to Family and Community Support Services (FCSS).
“We’ve adjusted various items based on actual costs for 2017, as well as anticipated 2018 costs. There’s an increase in the lift station cleaning for $70,000, and lagoon dredging will not be two cells for $200,000, it will just be one cell,” Stoyles detailed.
Other expenses include $358,900 for fire services, $76,000 for 911 services, around $500,000 for parks, and just under $1.2-million for the water treatment plant.
Capital budget
Of the $13-million in revenue for capital, the town will be receiving $2.6-million in grants from the province, $4-million from ID 349, $125,000 from CFEP for pool upgrades, $27,000 from Alberta Recycling, and $1.2-million under the MD’s Inter-Municipal Cooperation Program. A little over $300,000 from the RCDA funds from the MD were transferred to capital.
What projects made the cut for 2018?
The final budget includes $2.2-million for streets and paving, and $2.78-million for infrastructure replacement. Of that, $1-million each is dedicated to the annual overlay patching program and the 66 St. pavement extension. There is also $2-million slated for 47 Ave. from 50 St. to 48 St., and $580,000 for 54 St., which was carried over from the 51 Ave. project.
A total of $510,177 is being spent on the swimming pool this year, for the remainder of the “must do” upgrades that were outlined in the engineering study, as well as some “should do” upgrades.
There is also $150,000 for a new washroom at the spray park, $30,000 to resurface the tennis and/or pickle ball courts, and $80,000 set for the curling rink roof replacement.
Since the interim budget was approved, the town has also added $75,000 for protective services to purchase and outfit a new Community Police Officer vehicle, as well as $86,000 for upgrades to the airport lighting system.
“That (the airport lighting) was not something that was in the interim capital budget, it’s new. The expense for that has been added, in addition to the $20,000 for the runway upgrades that were planned for out there,” said CAO Mark Power. “Unfortunately, we’re in a situation where we’ve got to do something with the runway lights at the airport. The money that was originally acquired through the MD, town, Cenovus, and CNRL, that reserve money that we’ve been using, we’re recommending the rest of that money be used for this.”
The final capital budget includes a surplus of $458,208. Those dollars will be transferred to the town’s capital reserve for future years.
