The budget deliberation process is underway in the town of Battleford.
Mayor Derek Mahon and all members of council held their first budget session Tuesday at Town Hall. The meeting lasted an hour and a half and saw the presentation of numbers for the 2014 capital budget, as well as some operations numbers. Town Administrator Sheryl Ballendine and other town officials also attended the meeting, which was open to the public.
This was the first of what will likely be three or four budget sessions at Town Hall.
The process is in the early stages, with decisions on what the property tax will be and what projects will go ahead still to be determined. The main business Tuesday consisted of a line-by-line review of proposed capital projects, as well as a review of expenditures on the operations side for recreation.
"This is just a first go around," said Mahon to reporters after the meeting wrapped up.
"I think a lot of the discussion took place tonight on the capacities of the existing things. One of them was the sewage pumping station built in the late '70s and early '80s that's currently serving the Tim Hortons and the highway commercial station."
He said that lift station should still have capacity to serve that growing area, but Mahon said the proposed buildings have "not been identified fully to date so we don't know what could be in there." Some projects, like a proposed seniors' residence, have been identified, but until those projects actually come forth you "don't have a really good idea of how much capacity that sewage pumping station may need."
The councillors will also still need more information about other potential sources of funding. A key announcement will be the provincial budget delivered March 19.
Mahon did not appear hopeful the budget will deliver positive news on revenue sharing to municipalities.
"Some of the revenue sharing may be a tad lower than it has been in the past," said Mahon.
Still, said Mahon, "it's always something that forms part of the overall process. We haven't gotten into the revenue section of the budget as of tonight, so those discussions will take place once we know what's coming in. Again, the federal government gas tax is expected to be indexed so we don't know exactly what that amount is, but hopefully when we start getting into the revenue portion we will have a better idea of those numbers."
According to the 2014 capital budget numbers, the total proposed estimated cost of all the projects listed comes to $3,570,522. Some money for those projects is already set aside from reserves or provincial grants, but at future meetings councillors will need to determine how those projects will be funded, and when or whether those projects can go ahead.
Among the items listed in the capital budget is $100,000 for the detailed design of Town Hall, as well as $100,000 for the Opera House - the ongoing Town Hall-Opera House project.
In protective services, there is a proposal to replace the fire van at $60,000 and $20,000 is the proposed cost for the pre-design for a fire hall.
A large number of items are listed under transportation service. They include the Highway 4 twinning survey to wrap up that project, estimated for $80,000, a half-ton 4x4 for $30,000, a bucket truck (50 per cent) at $25,000, $260,000 towards a new garbage truck (the current truck is 10 years old), $175,000 for paving three Battle Springs cul-de-sacs, $40,000 for Battle Springs Cove pavement, 5th Avenue Highway 40 to Telegraph Road requires sewer upsizing and there is no dollar figure finalized for that, $100,000 for sidewalks, $150,000 for the old bridge (which did not get done last year), $10,000 for the interchange study and $20,000 for the industrial park pre-design.
Under recreation/culture, $50,000 is earmarked for work at Government House at Fort Battleford, $25,000 for the campground shower building design (councillors appeared in favour of moving that forward at Tuesday's meeting), $20,000 for the arena west pre-design, $13,000 for a play structure at ACT Park and $25,000 allotted for the bucket. The cemetery is also included among the project, but there are no numbers attached to that.
In the utility department, $450,000 is the proposed cost for the ongoing water treatment plant/well project that is nearing completion. Of that total, $300,000 is to come from provincial grants and $150,000 from the town reserves.
The estimated cost for 5th Avenue upsizing sewer work that is now completed is $50,000, $70,000 is the estimate for 35th Street uprising, $422,722 for the Kramer development services agreement, $450,000 for the industrial lift upgrades, $31,500 each for the 23rd Street lift station upgrades and the 1st Avenue lift station upgrades, and $90,000 for a mini-vac unit.
In addition to that is the three Battle Springs cul de sacs street lights for $11,800, and the next phase design of Battle Springs subdivision is estimated for $50,000.
The operations side will likely be the focus of the next budget meeting. That next deliberation session has not been scheduled. It is expected the date will be announced at the regular town council meeting Monday.
