KENILWORTH – Capital spending will nearly double in Wellington North this year.
As council passed the township’s 2019 operating and capital budget on Feb. 27, Wellington North CAO Mike Givens quipped “every time we talk about the scale of this budget, I just sweat a little bit more.”
The budget includes a tax levy increase of 4.41%. Accounting for assessment growth within the township over the past year, the impact on the existing tax base is 3.29%.
Wellington North’s capital budget has nearly doubled, from $10,264,211 in 2018 to $20,084,907 for 2019.
Of that, close to $11 million is being paid via development charges and township reserves.
Councillor Dan Yake said budget deliberations “as always” were a part of “a difficult process,” but, “I think we had good discussion on what was going to happen moving forward.”
Yake noted he was a little disappointed in the attendance at a public open house for the budget but “at least we offered the opportunity.”
Mayor Andy Lennox agreed participation in the open house “was perhaps not what we would have liked.” He suggested “perhaps it means the public has put their trust in us to make that decision. It is what we are elected to do.”
In the context of the current budget, Lennox said “we are talking about investing more than we ever have within a single year in the life of this municipality.”
He stated “this investment will help shape the future.
“These are major steps we are talking about for the investment in this budget. I hope we were wise in the choices we’ve made. Time will prove that out.”
Givens agreed the budget was a lot of work and it will be up to staff to implement “a very big budget … I am excited, but it is daunting for sure.”
In a brief discussion following the meeting Givens explained a large portion of this year’s capital spending – about $8 million – is earmarked for Arthur’s wastewater treatment plant.
So the levy increase really focuses on the capital program, Givens said.
Other budget highlights include:
– a complete reconstruction of William Street in Mount Forest at about $1 million; and
– a complete reconstruction of Isabella Street in Arthur at about $1 million; and
– Highway 6 through Arthur at $1.47 million (Givens said the work is contingent upon the municipality receiving Connecting Links funding, which would cover about 90% of the project).
In an email to the Advertiser, director of fiance Adam McNabb explained “the total budget (funded through taxation) for 2019 is $17,171,156, and includes transfers to capital in the amount of $3,683,657.
“The capital budget is $20,084,907, and will see significant funding from reserves and reserve funds that are not part of the 2019 ‘budget’.”
As such, McNabb said the taxation levy is $7,425,439, an increase of 4.4% over 2018.
He noted for the average residential single family dwelling taxes will rise about $27 or 2.27%, from $1,217 in 2018 to $1,244 in 2019.
