Roads, recreation and a raise – those are the three things local residents and business owners will remember from the Town of Bonnyville's most recent budget after the municipality firmed up its 2015 numbers last week.
Following on from last year's 2.5 per cent tax dollar increase, all those owning land within the town will see their rates rise once again in 2015 after council announced there would be a two per cent hike this year.
“I don't think a two (per cent increase) is much to worry about, we've been doing this for years,” said Coun. Rene Van Brabant. “Keep the same process and move forward with small increases rather than freezing (taxes for several years and) bringing a hefty (increase in the future).”
That wasn't the only major decision to pass as council set aside just under $8 million in its capital budget for road improvement spending within the municipality.
The big project on the agenda is the long-awaited 51 Avenue redevelopment. Initially touted as a major municipal priority several years ago, the Town has decided to put up the $4.5 million necessary to complete the first phase of the project in 2015.
The development will see underground and surface work carried out on a large stretch of the road from 46 Street to 50 Street. A second phase, which will address similar issues on the western side of the road, is expected to move forward next year.
A further $2.3 million will be spent to tie 54 Avenue into the new Eastgate subdivision, while the municipality's annual overlay program will see a $1.1 million windfall in 2015. Already penciled in under that initiative, a large portion of Lakeshore Drive between 51 and 55 Street and the North Frontage Road on the west side of town will see surface work in the coming months.
While much of the Town's $11.9 million capital budget focuses on what Mayor Gene Sobolewski called “vital” infrastructure improvements, there was some money set aside to improve recreation in the region.
Just under $160,000 has been set aside for the municipality to construct a parking lot and washroom facilities at its brand new splash park along Lakeshore Drive, with a further $30,000 committed to resurfacing the tennis courts behind Bonnyville Centralized High School. After receiving several letters from local skateboard enthusiasts, the municipality will also be providing $10,000 to improve its skate park beside the Centennial Centre.
While admitting he was happy to see the Town cover as much as it did in this year's capital budget, Sobolewski appeared to believe the municipality should be doing more in order to address its “alarming” infrastructure deficit.
“I strongly believe that the Town of Bonnyville needs to find a sustainable funding source from somewhere so that we can keep up with the work we need to do,” Sobolewski said. “We have several pricy projects we're going to need to fund (over the next few years) in order to maintain and bring our community forward.” Operating Budget
Following on from the announcement of its capital budget, Bonnyville's finance director Renee Stoyles filled council in all the comings and goings on the operational side of things.
Just as much of Alberta has been forced to scrimp and save over the past few months, the Town of Bonnyville is no exception, with Stoyles revealing the municipality's operating expenses for 2015 are expected to top out at $23.6 million – a near $4 million drop from this time 12 months ago.
Included in that budget is a two per cent tax dollar increase in 2015. Local residents can sleep easy though knowing rising assessment values in the region won't heavily impact them as the municipality significantly lowered its mill rates for the coming year. Residential mill rates will see a drop of 5.52 per cent, while commercial rates will see a decrease of 7.55 per cent.
