Town council budget deliberations held last Friday resulted in a slight reduction in the proposed 2017 property tax rate. Council managed to increase funding to several organizations while reducing the tax increase to 0.83 per cent from the 0.
Town council budget deliberations held last Friday resulted in a slight reduction in the proposed 2017 property tax rate. Council managed to increase funding to several organizations while reducing the tax increase to 0.83 per cent from the 0.88 per cent.
The tax change means the average household will face an increase of $17.22 annually.
Due to a conservative adjustment to the projected 2017 growth rate - to 2.5 per cent from 2.0 per cent - council was able to offset operational budget adjustments.
Organizations that received top-up funding include the Cochrane Activettes (to $15,000 from $12,240); the Nan Boothby Public Library (to $532,239 from $457,239); Cochrane and Area Victim Services (to $50,000 from $25,500); and the Rockyview Regional Handibus Society (to $168,317 from $122,437).
The Cochrane Community Grants program also received a boost to $65,000 from $50,000 and will become a tiered grant program.
“I'm relieved, ” said Paul Siller of the Rockyview Handibus, which received the necessary funding boost required to maintain services to Cochrane residents.
“I'm happy with the idea of getting someone from council on board, ” he added of having a member of council sit on the handibus board in order to improve communication.
Coun. Jeff Toews was less than pleased with the handibus' approach, making reference to a letter the town received from the society in late October advising them that in order to continue to provide services to Cochrane residents a full funding request must be fulfilled.
Toews said that clearly the need for the services would have to override the “threatening ” and “unprofessional and laughable approach ” taken by the handibus society.
Siller said the funding gap should come “as no surprise to council ” as Cochrane has been at the bottom of the pack in per capita funding, when compared to other municipalities around the province.
According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association's 2015 report, the provincial per capita funding average is $25.35 and $12.21 for comparably-sized communities to Cochrane.
The 2017 funding boost would bring Cochrane back in line with the five other partnering municipalities the handibus serves, up to $6.70 per capita and inching closer to Siller's goal of $10 over the next few years.
Increased funding to the library will ensure the public facility will stay open seven days a week, help boost programming and ensure staff wages are on par per capita with comparable communities.
The boost to Victim Services will enable the busy non-profit to hire a fourth full-time staff member to keep up with its increased demand of roughly 25 per cent since last year.
While Coun. Morgan Nagel proposed a wage freeze for town staff, Toews argued that the nominal cost of living increase of 0.6 per cent, in addition to the 2.13 per cent for firefighters as part of their collective agreement, would be less expensive than long-term costs from disgruntled employees.
According to the town, the expected increase for the private sector is 2.3 per cent and 2.0 per cent for the public sector.
Nagel commented a budget that meant a tax reduction without imposing a wage freeze was “a budget he could get behind. ”
Some part-time and casual positions will receive increased hours and the town will retain three full-time positions: deputy fire chief, water metre installer and tourism guide.
There are no increases proposed for water, wastewater, storm water, solid waste or recycling utility rates.
Council did discuss the possibility of reducing Eco Centre hours following the implementation of the organics curbside recycling program in the spring.
A four per cent increase was proposed for building permit fees.
No capital budget changes were made to finance the pool/multisport complex. Council did assign $1.4 million to the project from the sale of the old town hall site.
Council chose to not make any decisions on a future cultural/community hub until more is known about the future of the Lions Rodeo.
The final budget will be brought back before council for approval Dec. 12.
