The MD of Bonnyville kept ratepayers in mind when passing their 2018 interim budget.
The $90.8-million interim budget has been balanced without increasing municipal mill rates. In fact, the MD has agreed to create a small business tax class, giving businesses with 50 employees or less a reduction in their taxes by 10 per cent.
The MD was one of the first municipalities to “jump on” the small business tax class when it was announced by the provincial government.
Their focus when creating the 2018 budget, said MD of Bonnyville Reeve Greg Sawchuk, was tax relief and controlled spending on new initiatives.
“The whole gist of the budget was we really wanted to make sure there were no increases. We noticed assessments were going down on residences anyways. Some will be down as much as 10 per cent. If that's the case, then those folks will see a savings already,” Sawchuk expressed. “That is a rarity when it comes to municipal government, because normally they like to keep the revenue up.”
In total, $61.8-million of the budget will be funded through municipal taxes, with $8.7-million covered by government grants and contributions. General revenues, such as fees, the equipment replacement program, and reserves, will pick-up $10.1-million.
The $14-million cost of maintaining the La Corey resource road will be covered by a financial agreement where the proposed debt of servicing the road is covered by an annual contribution of $1.2-million over the next 15 years. This was the funding the MD of Bonnyville received through the new ID 349 agreement.
“It's important to have that road upgraded and safe. We were happy to get that funding,” Sawchuk noted.
Included in the 2018 budget was $215,000 for the creation of a rural crime prevention program, $25,000 to help fund a mental health navigator, $30,000 for improvements at Kinosoo Ridge Ski Hill, $600,000 to start saving for the upgrade and replacement of the green chairlift at the ski hill, $75,000 for change rooms at Minnie Lake MD Park, and $60,000 for a major emergency plan review and update.
For 2018, the MD created a $1-million legacy fund.
“It's not even fully developed yet. It's something we're going to work on with industry such as the larger stakeholders in the MD. What it will be is a chance for them, out of their tax revenue, to support projects that are going to be long-lasting in the MD, town, or city,” said Sawchuk.
Until the MD has had a chance to sit-down with industry leaders, the details are unknown.
“What the premise of it will be, is organizations can come forward and put in an application for some of these funds. It will then probably go back to a committee and they will look at it and determine if it falls within the guidelines of the fund,” continued Sawchuk.
What those guidelines will look like will be decided after meeting with industry officials.
Also included in the budget is $1.6-million for the construction of the Hwy. 28 underpass. Currently, trail users are utilizing a small culvert that was previously used for cattle.
According to Sawchuk, it isn't even tall enough to ride a bike through.
Council agreed that it was time to include the construction of a larger and safer culvert in their 2018 budget.
“It's going to be a larger culvert that will extend beyond the edges of Hwy. 28. That is why the cost is so high, because it's going to be a rather large structure that will allow people to pass freely underneath of the highway,” he explained.
That trail will eventually connect Vezeau Beach to the Town of Bonnyville's Jessie Lake Trail.
Of that, $800,000 will be allocated from reserves, while the remaining $800,000 will come from the 2018 budget.
The MD has also set aside $6-million for the reconstruction of Wolf Lake Road, $400,000 each for master drainage plans for Moose Lake and Crane Lake, $400,000 for annual paving, and $600,000 for the repairs needed on the Columbine Creek bridge.
The senior's transportation grant will also be funded for 2018 to a tune of $60,000. Local community halls and societies will have access to $575,000 for capital and operating expenses.
The budget will be passed in the spring after the MD has received education and Lakeland Lodge requisitions from the provincial government.
