Council here has approved a 2013 budget that will see the town raise five per cent more in taxes than it did in 2012.
The budget, approved at the March 19 meeting, projects total operating expenditures of $11,518,423. Transfers from reserves of $1,717,368 bring the operating cost to $9,801,054.
Total projected operating revenue is $7,779,057 including transfers from reserves of $746,117 – for a net of $7,032,940.
Treasurer Gordon Duff noted these amounts include water and wastewater spending and fees, which are not supported by the tax levy. Total 2013 water and wastewater expenditures and lifecycle reserve transfers of $3,077,000 are funded by user fees as required under provincial regulations compelling municipalities to operate these systems on a self-sufficient basis.
This leaves $3,739,365 in taxation required to fund the operating budget.
Total capital expenditures of $6,100,500 will be primarily funded by reserve transfers, projected grant funding, plus $1 million in debentures, leaving $328,505 in capital projects to be funded by taxes.
Combining operating and capital funding needs brings the total 2013 levy to $4,067,870, which is up by about $232,000 over the 2012 levy.
When blended with the Wellington County and education portion of the overall tax bill, the town is projecting local residents will see an overall increase of 2.9%. For an average residential property assessed at $193,000 in Minto, that works out to an increase of $77 in the overall tax bill. Duff said about $55 of the increase can be attributed to the town’s portion.
Major items in the capital budget include:
– about $1 million to install water meters;
– an $800,000 renovation project at the Harriston Fire Hall, which is expected to be funded entirely from reserves;
– $450,000 to reconstruct one kilometre of Ayton Road (funded through reserves);
– $440,000 for acquisition of former railway land in Clifford (the result of the settlement of a lawsuit between the town and a developer);
– $435,000 for roads department vehicle expenditures;
– $400,000 for work on the Highway 9 connecting link through Harriston;
– $102,000 on capital projects at the towns’ three arenas ($33,000 in Clifford, $56,000 in Harriston and $13,000 in Palmerston);
– $100,000 for work on the Clifford waterworks system;
– $90,000 for road work on Clarke Street in Clifford;
– $60,000 on a new soccer pitch/ball diamond complex in Clifford;
– $56,000 for computer hardware and software;
– $35,000 on the Norgan Theatre building; and
– $25,000 on the Palmerston railway museum building.
A planned $300,000 reconstruction project on the 16th Line bridge has been deferred to the 2014 budget.
A report presented at the meeting by public works director Brian Hansen indicated work required on the bridge will be more extensive than originally anticipated. Hansen recommended a six-tonne load restriction be placed on the bridge in the interim, a move council approved in a bylaw passed at the meeting.
The draft budget also includes $75,000 for the implementation of a new pay grid for municipal employees.
The figure represents the total cost of moving staff to a 2013 pay grid designed to bring town job rates to the median of 22 comparable municipalities in the area. Council has not approved a cost of living increase, but has approved the new pay grid. Under the newly-adopted town pay policy, any staff movement on the pay grid will be performance based. In future years council will make a decision in October on whether to implement cost of living increases for staff.
“It is a challenge to provide a high standard of service at an affordable cost and invest in infrastructure,” noted Duff in his report on the budget.
The report also noted the town is losing $47,000 due to reduced funding for Minto under the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund program. Duff also noted the town does not benefit directly from recent provincial uploading of such items as social services and court security.
In addition, he pointed out, “Several initiatives mandated by the province, including Green Energy Conservation Plans, building code changes and the creation of Asset Management Plans add to cost pressure in addition to normal items such as fuel costs and winter control.
“The County of Wellington has limited its 2013 budget increase to 2.4% which helps the town use this room to partially cover the costs of completing $6.1 million in capital work this year.”
