Town of Bonnyville council has some tough decisions to make when it comes to the funding they're going to provide in 2020.
The total amount requested for next year comes in at just over $1.7-million.
Around $1.5-million of the dollars asked for came from town facility groups, such as the Centennial Centre, Bonnyville and District FCSS, Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority, library, and curling club.
Requests from community organizations, such as the Bonnyville and District Chamber of Commerce, historical society, primary care network, and Mudfest, account for approximately $203,000.
Town CAO Mark Power told council during their Nov. 12 meeting there's a slight increase in that category from 2019, which rang in around $160,000.
Coun. Chad Colbourne noted he believes council should keep spending in-line with last year.
"I'd like to stay as close as we can, seeing that we're dealing with a deficit," he said.
Suggestions will be brought to council by administration on ways to bring the price closer to 2019's spending.
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CLFN added to Bonnyville Regional Waterline Services Commission
Cold Lake First Nations will join the Town and MD of Bonnyville on the Bonnyville Regional Waterline Services Commission.
"Since they're getting their water from the Bonnyville commission, they're entitled to either be a member... or a customer," detailed Power.
Council received correspondence from the province confirming Cold Lake First Nations was added as a member.
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Parent Link funding cut
The future of the Bonnyville Parent Link Centre is up in the air.
"Once the provincial budget came out, we were notified that our Parent Link program funding is getting completely pulled," explained Coun. Lorna Storoschuk, who also serves as the chair for the Bonnyville and District FCSS board.
The money provided by the province for roughly 450 grants and contracts with 300 organizations that operate Parent Link Centres and other similar programs will end on March 31, 2020.
The Bonnyville FCSS board is in the process of reviewing all of their options moving forward.
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Town supports library system levy increase
The town could be looking at a slight increase in the dollars they provide to the Northern Lights Library System (NLLS).
"We understand that NLLS will be coming forward with a request at their November meeting for a two per cent increase," Power explained. "In order to move forward with anything, they will need two-thirds of support from all the members of their system."
NLLS is a regional library system serving 54 municipalities, and includes the Bonnyville Municipal Library. Each member municipality appoints a representative to the Northern Lights Library System Board.
Earlier this month, the town received a letter stating that board representatives will be voting on whether to move ahead with a two per cent increase to the per capita levy municipalities and local library boards pay into the system.
Initially, the board stated in 2018 that they would be asking for the fee to go up by 1.5 per cent in both 2019 and 2020. Prior to that, they had gone three years with no membership increases.
If the two per cent increase is approved by the NLLS board, the rates will be going up by 11 cents per capita from $5.15 to $5.26.
For the Town of Bonnyville, that equates to a $33,780 payment for 2020, $732 more than in 2019. However, only $183 more than what they had originally budgeted for next year.
Noting there isn't a significant financial impact as a result of the change, council voted in favour of supporting the proposed levy increase.
