Weyburn city council had a preliminary look at its budget for 2018, with two meetings on the budget to be held in December, with a deficit at just under $1.3 million.
The initial report said staff were instructed to bring in an operating budget as close to a zero-increase as possible.
The preliminary deficit includes an operating deficit of $1,002,953, and a capital deficit of $266,500, caused mainly by a reduction of funds from the provincial government, and the elimination of surcharges from SaskPower.
The other major adjustment to revenue for the city includes the impact of reassessment, an adjustment to projected rural fire revenues, and changes in lease agreements for the city’s facilities.
In the meetings, the first of which was held on Monday evening and the second will come on Monday, Dec. 18, council will look over recommendations from staff for capital and operating budgets, including reductions to the city’s contributions to reserves, and changes in user fees for leisure programs and tipping fees at the landfill.
The Weyburn Builds Infill grant program will be provided by the City of Weyburn as an incentive for doing improvements or replacement of older buildings in the city.
Projects that are eligible for a grant under the program include new home construction in the mature infill area of the city, additions to existing homes, and major exterior renovations to dwellings.
A home moved in to the city may be considered if the requirements of the home relocation policy are satisfied.
The grant amounts vary according to the project. For new homes or RTMs that are eligible, there will be a reduction in property taxes of 75 per cent in each of the three years afterward.
For major exterior renovations or additions to existing homes, the grant is based on the approved construction value, with a minimum value of $5,000. The grant is calculated as $50 per $1,000 of construction value, with a maximum grant of $1,000. Attached garages are eligible, but accessory buildings or detached garages are not eligible.
A building permit must be issued by the City of Weyburn for the project, and the applicant must provide proof that at least half of the has local content, with receipts provided within 30 days of completion of the project.
The City will be putting together an asset management plan as part of the agreement for the Municipal Federal Gas Tax Fund agreement.
City council was told the City has 3,650 assets recorded on software used to track and amortize assets for accounting purposes. These assets include all roads, sewers, water lines, equipment and facilities.
“This is something that in the next five years will be more and more important to municipalities,” said Roy Hardy, city manager.
“This is a methodical means to get on top of the assets, knowing what they are and planning for their eventual replacement. For the federal government, all of these assets have a service life, and all have to be planned for,” he said, adding that by having all of these listed and tracked, the City “is not in a pay-as-you-go kind of situation” in regard to their infrastructure and facilities.
