A draft capital budget received by town council at a special meeting on Jan. 24 would see the municipality spend about $6.1 million on projects in 2017.
Public works projects, at $4.84 million, would account for the majority of the spending, split between water ($1.32 million), sewer ($1.68 million) and roads ($1.84 million).
Just over $500,000 of the capital works will be funded through 2017 taxation. The projects will also be covered through roughly $1.6 million in grant funding, with $1.24 million coming from development charges and reserves, and $1.83 million in Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund formula-based grants.
The budget also includes $1.46 million in projects carried over from the 2016 budget.
The projected roads spending hinges partly on the town obtaining a $750,000 grant through the new federal/provincial Clean Water and Waste Water Fund for a $1.7-million project on George Street and Maitland Street in Harriston.
While councillors debated the impact the project would have on the level of borrowing required in 2017, Mayor George Bridge reminded council the town’s ability to do the project this year hinges on grant approval.
“If there’s no approval from the government then the problem goes away,” the mayor noted.
Other capital spending proposed for the public works department includes:
– $60,000 for sidewalks in Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford;
– $45,000 for a new pickup truck for the sewer and water department;
– $175,000 for a backhoe;
– $7,000 for decorations and carvings;
– $55,000 for public works shop upgrades;
– $50,000 for Palmerston parking upgrades;
– $10,000 for street lights in urban areas and rural subdivisions;
– $20,000 for a cremation garden at the cemetery in Harriston; and
– $35,000 for a columbarium at the Harriston cemetery.
Public works director Brian Hansen noted the columbarium project may be impacted by a potential private sector donation.
The fire department’s proposed capital budget includes a 2016 tanker to replace a 1988 model at a cost of $250,000. The purchase was approved in 2016 but delivery is expected in February, explained Fire Chief Chris Harrow.
The department will also spend about $35,000 for a radio repeater and $20,000 for other equipment and gear.
About $150,000 in capital spending is proposed for the economic development department. Projects include:
– $30,000 to complete a Class Environmental Assessment study for a proposed 10-acre extension of the Harriston Industrial Park;
– $50,000 for paving in the Palmerston/Harriston Industrial Parks;
– $55,000 for entrance signage and landscaping in Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford; and
– $15,000 ($5,000 per urban area) for streetscaping through the local downtown revitalization committees.
Economic development manger Belinda Wick-Graham said the $50,000 expenditure for paving is a “placeholder” in case paving is required due to new development in the industrial parks.
She also noted an additional $15,000 will be needed for new service club entrance signage in Harriston and Palmerston, to match signage already in place in Clifford.
Wick-Graham explained new entrance signs have already been installed at two entrances to Clifford and four in Harriston. Two are in place in Palmerston and one more will be needed at the White’s Road entrance.
“So you only need one more sign and the rest of that $55,000 is for landscaping?” asked councillor Judy Dirksen.
Wick Graham said the $55,000 includes a “high end” estimate of $5,000 per sign. She said the landscape design is still in the works.
“If we don’t go that way and it’s less, then that’s great,” she said.
The large entrance signs bearing the Town of Minto logo and the name of the individual communities cost about $10,000 each, Wick-Graham said.
“That’s very reasonable. If you saw the price of some other communities’ entrance signs you could get three for the price of one, so I think we’re doing pretty well with our budget for entrance signs,” she stated.
Proposed recreation facilities budgets include $249,000 for facilities in Palmerston, $120,000 for Harriston facilities and $77,000 for Clifford facilities.
Major projects include:
– $175,000 for an ice re-surfacer, dressing room upgrades and a truck at the Palmerston arena complex;
– $10,000 for upgrades to ball diamonds in Palmerston to prepare for a national Pee Wee fastball tournament;
– $7,500 for siding and entrance at the CNRA facility, which is used as a clubhouse by the Palmerston Lions Club and $27,000 for the Palmerston Rail Museum;
– $30,000 for Palmerston pool upgrades;
– $80,000 for Harriston arena upgrades, including doors, lighting, roof repair, refrigeration and seating;
– $30,000 for Harriston pool repairs;
– $18,000 for ball diamond upgrades (backstop and concession stand) in Harriston;
– $2,000 for a viewing window for the Minto Dance Academy;
– $70,000 for arena upgrades in Clifford; and
-$40,000 for municipal trail improvements.
The report notes wages and rising utilities costs are “the main pressures” driving the increase from the 2016 budget.
The net change in wages and benefits from 2016 to 2017 is about $220,000, which includes staff movement on the town’s wage grid, job changes and reclassifications, and moving the town landscape coordinator position to full time within the public works department.
Included in the $220,000 is about $46,000 for a 1.5% cost of living increase, while around $39,000 covers grid movements for 18 staff. About 11.5% ($25,500) can be attributed to allocations to the water and sewer departments.
There are currently 41 full-time equivalent positions. The town’s departments were restructured in 2015 and 2016.
“This compares to 39 full-time staff in 2010, and includes hiring three sewer operators and a supervisor when the contract to operate sewage plants was assumed from Centre Wellington (in lieu of a $275,000 payment),” the report explains. The full-time equivalent positions don’t include some part-time/seasonal positions such as pool staff or bartenders.
As presented, the draft budget would result in a 2.9% levy increase over the 2016 budget. The 2017 budget calls for a levy of $4,715,435, up $136,334 from the 2016 budget.
With the County of Wellington approving a 2.9% tax increase, a staff report indicates the “blended increase” for the average home in Minto will be in the area of 2.9%.
“In actual dollars this means that the owner of a home worth $215,000 will pay about $84 more in property tax in total based on annual taxes in the range of $2,903. The town receives $34 of that increase,” the report states.
Council directed staff to prepare an update on the situation regarding the George Street construction project and received the report as presented.
The public is invited to attend a budget open house on March 21 from 5 to 6:30pm in the Town of Minto council chamber at the administration centre.
