The MD of Bonnyville council passed a balanced $82.8 million interim budget for 2016, allocating approximately half its funds to road improvements and maintenance.
Council approved the budget at a Nov. 25 meeting, where $40.9 million was earmarked for the roads in the municipality, constituting roughly 50 per cent of the entire budget. From that sum, $26.3 million has been allocated for road improvements and construction, $14.6 million for gravel and oil road maintenance, $600,000 for Public Works equipment, $3 million for the fourth phase of the Ardmore Street Improvement Project, and $4 million for paving Crane Lake road.
Reeve Ed Rondeau said improving the MD's roads is a top concern, but stressed that council has also allocated funds to improve the quality of life for residents across the MD.
The budget makes mention of one new project in the works: a new public safety office which will be built on the Public Works site outside of Bonnyville for a total cost of $2.8 million, with $700,000 coming from the 2016 budget.
Regional projects such as landfill operations will set the MD back $2.5 million. The budget will also fork out $600,00 in annual operating grants to community halls and societies, and $60,000 for continuing the Senior's Transportation Grant. Regional Community Development Agreement Grants for Town of Bonnyville and the Village of Glendon will total at $929,426 and $136,657 respectively.
“Council has continued its commitment towards regional cooperation and has dedicated funds for neighbouring urban municipalities and organizations that provide services to MD residents,” Rondeau said.
Members of the Glendon, Bonnyville and Cold Lake Agricultural Societies will be glad to know that council has budgeted $20,000 for each, and museum lovers can rejoice at $35,000 set aside for Cold Lake and Bonnyville museums, each receiving half.
The estimated expenditures are funded mostly by $54.19 million in taxes. A total of $8.65 million will come from general revenues such as fees and partnership dollars, $5.73 million will come through government grants, and $3.26 million is expected to come from transfers from surplus, which are funds from carried over projects and funds remaining from previous years' budgets.
Rondeau added that the MD continues to be a good regional citizen by providing funding support for the Beaver River Regional Waste Management Commission, Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority, Bonnyville and Cold Lake FCSS, as well as the libraries in Cold Lake and Bonnyville.
“Council is committed to supporting the Regional Community Development Agreement as well as cost-sharing agreements for fire, ambulance, libraries, FCSS, airports and Part 9 Companies because these entities provide services to the residents of the whole region.”
An interim budget is adopted until the final budget is adopted some time in spring 2016 in order to pay salaries and other accounts. The provincial Education Requisition, which is released at the start of the year, could impact the final budget.
Last year council passed an interim budget of $88.5 million, which ballooned to $109.9 million by the time the final budget was passed in April.
