The Town of Cochrane has lowered its proposed property tax increase for 2014 from 1.49 per cent to .34 per cent following some cuts to the draft budget during deliberations Nov. 22.
The largest cut to the operating budget was to negate a $100,000 payment to the reserve fund for the future implementation of a transit system.
Councillors Gaynor Levisky and Mary Lou Davis voiced their opposition to the funding at this time, with Levisky saying that the public had spoke loudly about its feelings on transit based on who had been voted in during the recent election.
Another significant adjustment had an affected on the Fire Services budget, where axing the development of a fire master plan saved $75,000.
Mayor Ivan Brooker said he felt the plan would be redundant to what the town had already accomplished with Fire Services, and that the Calgary Regional Partnership was looking at a regional fire master plan to see what that would look like in the Calgary area.
Councillor Ross Watson questioned whether not having a fire master plan would put Cochrane at any risk moving forward, to which Fire Chief Mac deBeaudrap responded it would not.
Also lowering the Fire Services budget was the implementation of a $50 fee on local businesses for annual fire inspections.
Councillors Jeff Toews and Morgan Nagel were against the new fee, with Toews saying local businesses already face enough financial responsibilities. The fee is expected to garner approximately $10,000 for the year.
A proposed new part-time bylaw officer position was also shelved for the time being from the 2014 budget, saving $35,100.
Chief deBeaudrap said the demand on the community is growing and bylaw officers cannot be everywhere at once.
Davis suggested instead of adding another position that the current staff be put on staggered shifts to broaden coverage to more weekends and evenings.
Councillors Tara McFadden and Watson were in favour of adding another bylaw officer to the staff. Council agreed to revisit the matter at a later date.
Grant funding to Sustainability Partners Uniting Resources (SPUR) was nearly cut in half, going from a recommended $20,550 down to $10,000.
SPUR is tasked with seeing that the Cochrane Sustainability Plan is brought to fruition and had received $30,710 of grant funding in 2013.
When all was said and done – after approving $21,600 to go toward a new ice resurfacing machine for Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre and $1,000 for community association grants – council had agreed to cutting $208,050 in spending from the 2014 budget, which in turn lowered the proposed property tax increase from the previous 1.49 per cent to .34 per cent, or $7.23 annually for an average household in Cochrane.
Other highlights of budget deliberations include:
- Funding approval for the proposed $8 million RCMP station was deferred until April, after the spring 2014 strategic planning session.
- The East End improvements fund received $1.7 million, with senior manager of infrastructure Rick Deans saying, “This will be the last of the East End improvements.”
- Upgrades to RancheHouse Road will tally $433,000, which once complete will result in no left turns being permitted at the uncontrolled intersection onto Highway 22, but would rather direct traffic to the traffic lights at Sunset Blvd.
- Town staff (excluding council) will receive a 1.7 per cent increase in remuneration, which was based on the Calgary Consumer Price Index for August.
- A fleet mechanic will be hired to maintain the town’s growing number of vehicles (59) and mobile pieces of equipment (41) at a cost of $100,000 (salary and benefits).
- The Visitor Information Centre, currently within the HomeStead building, will be looking for a downtown location, at an estimated rental cost of $32,000 from the current $12,000.
