Sturgeon County residents are set to pay the same amount of taxes this year as they did the last, but will also get more services in the process.
County council made a long list of amendments and additions to the proposed 2020 budget last week during two days of budget deliberations.
In the end, they stuck with administration’s recommendation of a zero-per-cent tax hike – the second in a row for the county.
Approved as-is, the budget will cause the owner of the typical $464,140 home in Sturgeon to pay $1,692 in municipal taxes next year, as they did this year. Add in a projected nine-per-cent rise in the education levy, a six-per-cent increase in the seniors' levy, and higher utility rates, and the average homeowner can expect to pay $228 more in all taxes and fees next year – equivalent to about 21 dozen Tim Hortons doughnuts.
While Sturgeon County has definitely benefited from continued industrial growth, Mayor Alanna Hnatiw said this zero-per-cent increase was also due to a conservative approach taken by council.
“This is a very lean budget,” she said, one she characterized as a “holding pattern” until the province’s economy and regulatory environment stabilized.
“I think Alberta needs to learn to live within its means.”
New services
The budget includes about $841,000 more in salaries, wages and benefits, about $140,000 of which is related to a pay raise for council.
The budget includes a number of new additions to county staff, including about $150,000 for a communications person, about $125,000 for a second computer systems manager, some $150,000 for a procurement and contract manager, $17,405 for more utility labourers, and, on a one-year pilot basis, around $113,000 for a co-ordinator to help the county and community groups seek grants.
Council also supported spending $82,321 for improved trail maintenance and $61,989 for trail snow clearing, which proved popular in a pilot last year.
Coun. Kristin Toms said these investments would encourage active living in the county’s fastest-growing region (the Sturgeon Valley), with Coun. Dan Derouin adding, “We can’t build these trails and not support them.”
The budget includes $87,600 to enable residents to monitor the recently introduced smart water meters online. After Hnatiw noted this service could eliminate the need to bring in monthly billing (seen as a way to spot water leaks faster), council cancelled plans to bring in such a billing service, cutting $28,777 from the budget.
Residents will also soon notice a new $61,500 equipment yard built somewhere in the Sturgeon Valley. Said shop would reduce the amount of time staff spend hauling gear to and from the area and could free up about 500 hours for grass cutting, infrastructure services general manager Scott MacDougall told council.
Council also backed $51,500 for a community cleanup event.
Business needs questioned
Council hit pause on one of the biggest items in the budget: $826,000 to fund business needs assessment initiatives.
Corporate services director Jesse Sopko said this item was meant to implement a number of administrative improvements recommended by the recent MNP efficiency review over the next four years, including new software, enhanced GIS systems, online services and technology to let staff get more work done in the field.
Coun. Neal Comeau said he had a hard time with this item, noting it could easily pay for an entire road project.
“What does everyone in this county want? Roads, roads, roads.”
Council held off on approving this item and asked administration to report on it in more detail Jan. 14. As this project was to be funded through reserves, this decision did not affect this year’s tax rate.
Council initiatives
Council supported Hnatiw’s request to put in $65,403 to support an alternative land servicing program.
“The Sturgeon River is not as healthy as it once was,” she said, and this program would help landowners get education and compensation for protecting wetlands.
They also backed Comeau’s suggestion to promote the county through a booth at January’s FarmTech conference for $3,000 and to put $25,000 more into the economic development department.
Council will hold a final vote on the 2020 budget Dec. 10.
