Tabled at its regular meeting in December Yorkton Council approved the City’s 2019 operating and capital budgets at their first meeting of the new year.
At the December meeting, Administration proposed a 2.90 per cent increase in taxation revenue for the 2019 year. This includes 1.0 per cent for future Capital projects, and 1.9 per cent for all other Operational expenditures, explained Ashley Stradeski, Director of Finance with the City at Monday’s meeting.
In terms of feedback Stradeski noted on the morning of December 11, 2018, the 2019 Budget Submission, 2019 Operating Budget, 2019 / 2020 Capital Budget, and “Loonie Pie Chart” were posted on the City website for public review.
“As of January 21, 2019, there was zero completed feedback forms received, as well as no other written submissions nor feedback by telephone,” he said.
Council was able to keep increases low to cover the cost of inflation while maintaining services and continuing to fund important programs like streets, roads and drainage,” said Mayor Bob Maloney, in a release.
“This year we will see an unprecedented number of construction projects undertaken as we work to meet the needs of our residents,” said the Mayor. We have been able to do this while keeping our tax increase to less than $5.00 a month.
This covers the Saskatchewan Consumer Price Index cost of living increase and provides a 0.9 per cent increase in funding for capital projects,” he said.
Key Capital projects planned a 2019 and 2020 include:
• Paving Broadway East from Myrtle Avenue to Highway 9 - $1 million. This continues work done in 2018 with the repaving of Broadway West;
• Reconstruction of the main storm water drainage outfall for the City, from Dracup Avenue and York Road to Highway 9, emptying into Yorkton Creek - $3.8 million. Eighty per cent of the City’s storm water flows through this area and the current condition of the underground pipes in this key part of the city’s drainage system has created a choke point on the system;
• Sanitary sewer trunk line from Dracup Avenue and York Road to Highway 9 – $3.4 million;
• Highway 9 bridge reconstruction - $3.4 million. This includes replacement of the sewer line and storm water culverts under the bridge, plus replacement of the bridge roadbed. The storm water culverts are failing and will not adequately handle water flows during heavy rainfall, creating another choke point on the storm water system;
• Darlington Street overpass rehabilitation (Highway 9) - $800,000;
• Mayhew Avenue reconstruction - $2.6 million. This project will see reconstruction of Mayhew Avenue from Morrison Drive South to Darlington Street including the Darlington Street intersection. This continues work done replacing underground infrastructure and repaving of Mayhew Avenue from Broadway Street East to Morrison Drive South in 2017.
