Ratepayers of the RM of Cote were to receive their tax notices last week requesting property taxes at 13 mills, which is the same amount as was levied in 2015.
Council approved its 2016 budget during its regular meeting on June 8, said Sherry Guenther, administrator.
During 2016, council expects to receive a total of $1,071,000 in revenue, which includes the general municipal levy of $750,000, Guenther said. Council received the unconditional revenue sharing grant of $198,000, and an organized hamlet grant of $5,896.
The municipality is to receive $33,756 from gas tax funding, while other sources of revenue are obtained from custom work, sale of gravel and RM maps and other services provided through the office.
Investment income and commission revenue is budgeted at $7,600, Guenther said. The RM applied for funds under the Beaver Control Program in 2016 through SARM (Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities), and although there had been a $30 compensation per adult beaver for individuals authorized through the RM, the bounty went back to $10 per beaver on June 15. The municipality is eligible for up to $5,500 in claims for this year.
The RM will again apply for the Provincial Rat Eradication Program (PREP) this year, she said. In 2015 the RM received $3,945 from the program, the purpose of which is to provide financial and human resource assistance to RMs in their efforts to eradicate the rat population in their municipalities. The PREP program is also provided through SARM.
“We will apply for the channel clearing program again through the Water Security Agency,” she said, adding that in 2015 the RM received $4,130.
The municipality received $4,500 for the 2016-2017 year from the Sask. Lotteries Community Grant Program, she said. Council is patiently waiting for funding to be received from 2013 and 2014 PDAP (Provincial Disaster Assistance Program) claims that were submitted.
Council plans to spend a total of $1,038,000 during the year, she said. General government expenditures are to total $196,000 and includes legal expenses, wages/benefits, SAMA (Saskatchewan Assessment Management Agency) fees, audit costs, memberships, training and travel, utilities, office expenses, meetings and election supplies.
Transportation and maintenance is expected to cost $388,000, she said. This includes gravelling, wages/benefits, utilities, fuel, maintenance of equipment and maintenance of infrastructure within the RM.
The budget includes an amount of $37,000 to the Parkland Regional Waste Management Association for recycling and waste; $3,500 for maintenance of the transfer station; $25,000 for policing fees; $21,750 for the fire agreement with the Town of Kamsack; $5,000 as a contribution to Eaglestone Lodge, and $6,786 for the Parkland Library levy.
Mark Muir was hired for the position of seasonal mower operator in May of this year, Guenther said.
At the May 11 council meeting council disbursed a total of $4,500 from the Sask. Lotteries Community Grant program for 2016-2017. The following groups are to receive the following amounts: Kamsack Powerhouse Museum, $400; Kamsack Horticultural Society, $50;
Victoria School Community Council, $500; Eaglestone Lodge Auxiliary, $400; Kamsack Team Penners, $350; Togo District Curling Club, $400; Togo Figure Skating Club, $900; Organized Hamlet of Runnymede, $200; Kamsack Daycare Inc., $100; Kamsack Minor Hockey, $500; Duck Mountail Regional park Authority (ski hill), $500, and the Kamsack and District Indoor Rodeo, $200.
The RM of Cote accepts the allocation of population from the Village of Togo for that grant program, she said.
All assessment values in the RM will be re-evaluated in 2017, she said.
Because 2016 is the election year, the terms for Reeve Jim Tomochko and councillors Ralph Hilderman of Div. 1, Ken Kalmakoff of Div. 3 and Kim Pennell of Div. 5 will expire. As administrator, Guenther will be accepting nominations for those positions beginning in August when an advertisement will be placed in the Kamsack Times. Nominations will close at 4 p.m. on September 21. A vote, if more than one person is nominated for any of the four positions, will be held on October 26.
The persons elected will serve terms of four years. Tomochko has been the reeve since 2010, while Pennell has served as councillor since 1999; Hilderman, 2005, and Kalmakoff, 2012.
