Neepawa outlines new budget

Details

Published on Thursday, April 23, 2015

By Eoin Devereux

The Neepawa Banner

The Town of Neepawa has unveiled its new budget. For 2015, Council has allocated $6,718,130.27 to the general operating fund and $3,078,319.65 to the utility operating fund.

For residential and commercial property owners, the tax impact will be the lowest they’ve experienced in the past five years, as the mill rate will rise by only 0.87 per cent. For a home with an assessed value of $200,000, that’ll mean ratepayers will pay an additional $18.90 in taxes for the year, while on a commercial property with a value of $500,000, the increase will be $68.25.

Mayor Adrian de Groot said this should be a budget that most people in the community will be pleased with.

“I think that it’s a responsible budget. There are a number of opportunities that [Town council] will be looking at throughout the next year. Some of them are administrative in focus. Some are political in focus. So we thought, ‘Let’s strike a fair budget, making sure we maintain the status quo’,” said de Groot. “Making contributions to our reserves. Making sure that our infrastructure dollars are going to the right project. It’s a responsible budget, as far as the municipality is concerned.”

As part of the budget allocations, $133,795.95 has been set aside for grants to organizations, including $70,000 to the Yellowhead Centre, $10,000 for the Viscount Cultural Centre and $5,000 to assist with the operating costs at NACTV. Other organization of note receiving support include the Neepawa Natives ($5000); Neepawa Minor Ball for upkeep of the washrooms ($4000); and the operation of the Margaret Laurence Home ($4000). De Groot noted that there was only so much financial support the Town could provide and some difficult decisions had to be made when it came to that distribution of funds.

The five year capital expenditure program was also revealed as part of the budget, outlining the spending priorities for the near future. Money will be set aside over the next five years for public works equipment, a new fire hall and equipment, water and sewer renewals, water treatment plant and lagoon upgrades and the improvements to the RCMP building.

First reading of the 2015 budget was given on Tuesday, Apr. 21. Second and third reading will likely occur at the next council meeting on Tuesday, May. 5. A copy of the budget can be seen at the link                                                                                             

By-Law No. 3151-Financial Plan 2015