The MD of Bonnyville has released an early edition of their capital budget, with over $2.3-million in surplus.
Roads, the implementation of a mill rate subclass for small businesses, crime prevention, and bridge repairs are some of the top items on the MD's 2018 budget.
For the upcoming fiscal year, the municipality has projected over $9.6-million in net spending.
The MD has set aside $750,000 for the implementation of a small business subclass mill rate. It would see businesses with 50 employees or less receive a 10 per cent tax break.
Also included in the upcoming capital budget is $215,000 for rural crime prevention initiatives.
“This came to council a few months ago and was based on a grant. We didn't get the grant. At that time, it was determined it was too expensive. Council has now decided to put this in,” explained CAO Chris Cambridge. “What this is doing is adding staff and resources to start work on crime prevention.”
The MD has also hired an asset manager, who will work with council on road construction and infrastructure.
They have included just over $68,000 in their budget for the position.
“This way, when we're thinking about roads, we will know the exact condition the road is in, and the amount of traffic on it. This helps me get the information to council so they can make more informed decisions on where funds are going to go to do certain items of infrastructure,” noted Cambridge.
Included in the budget is $1-million for legacy and emerging issues. This is funding that will be set aside for items council wishes to accomplish.
“This is a new council, so they wanted to have some funding for things that they wish to do, but because budgets are so condensed and new and we have to have something passed by the end of the year, they have that flexibility if they decide to add a certain program,” Cambridge said.
In terms of road construction, the MD has included asphault overlay for the La Corey resource road to a tune of $13-million. The first two phases would be completed this year at a cost of $6.5-million. The MD would use the funding from the ID 349 agreement to cover the cost of the project.
However, Cambridge said it relies heavily on a maintenance agreement with the provincial government.
“We also have a major construction and re-pavement program for Wolf Lake Road. We won't be doing all of it. We will only be doing about six-kilometres of it in conjunction with CNRL. That's a two-year project at $6-million per year,” Cambridge expressed. “That is cost shared between us and the oil companies to get that road going. We have some residents on that road, but most of the traffic there is oil traffic. We are very fortunate to have an industry partner here that wishes to do something in conjunction with us, and that they're actually going to go all of the way to put pavement in.”
The MD has allocated $400,000 to conduct a study on drainage issues within the MD.
The study will help the MD determine what can be done about drainage issues within the municipality.
“The rebuild of the Ardmore infrastructure is another big project. It's multi-phase. We're doing phase six next year at $3.2-million. That will be the west side of Ardmore pipes underground,” Cambridge continued.
Council has also included $500,000 for erosion repair along Range Road 454 at Beaver River south.
“We're hoping to be able to do a new trail underpass under Hwy. 28 that connects the trail from Vezeau Beach to the town,” Cambridge said. “Right now, there is actually a cattle culvert under there, which isn't good for people to walk through. It isn't very safe. This is a very costly item, but it will enhance the trail system.”
That project is budgeted in at $1.6-million for the upcoming year, with $800,000 coming from reserve funding.
Reeve Greg Sawchuk said the MD is working on “smaller capital items that are going to be required coming forward.”
He is predicting money coming into the MD in the upcoming year will be down by at least $2-million.
“But it could be closer to $3-million that we will operate on less,” he said.
However, they feel as though they have enough to get by.
“We are going to ride the assessment right back down the other side. For a lot of years assessments were going up, and now, the assessments are going down,” Sawchuk explained.
“We have to learn to live within our means. All residents and all businesses have had to learn to do that. I think as the MD we have to do the same.”
