In spite of the opposition of one council member, Yorkton City Council went ahead and passed the 2012 operating budget Monday evening. For residents, it will mean no tax increase - on the operational side that is.
Following a presentation by each department head council voted in favor of an operating budget that will include expenditures of $17,195,610 but will not require any tax increase.
"I like the budget," spoke councillor Richard Okrainec, "and just so the public knows this isn't our first go at budget, we've been working on it for quite a while now so if it looks like we're just glancing at it and passing it, that's not exactly true... Our direction was to have a zero per cent increase on the operating which we achieved. We left a lot of to the departments... and this is the recommendation that's come forward to us."
Highlighting some of the changes the city's director of finance, Lonnie Kaal said, "We've got $735,800 extra in revenue from tax revenue, crown surcharge revenue and municipal operating grants... We're increasing our full time staff equivalent by 2.2 with most of those resources allocated to public works... There are one time expenditures of $70,000." These include election costs at $20,000 and the purchase of fire department radios at a cost of $50,000. An additional $25,000 has been earmarked for Deer Park fleet equipment reserves and another $25,000 for economic development promotions. Almost $70,000 will go towards tree pruning and park maintenance. Garbage fees will rise by 20 cents per month and water/sewer rates are expected to climb by 2.5 per cent. Annual debt payments will remain the same at $1,800,045 and $625,000 will be transferred to reserves for capital projects.
In the end it means a zero per cent tax increase on the capital side. One thing that should be made clear though, with this budget said councillor Ross Fisher is, "This is only half of the budget... this is the operating budget. We wanted to have a zero per cent increase on the operating budget... we have done that and that's a good thing, however, the second half of the budget is the capital budget.
"Those numbers haven't been determined yet. That comes forward in November. There are expenditures that always take place through the capital part of the budget."
"The operating portion of the budget is basically turning the lights on," says Kaal. "It's day-to-day operations. The capital side of the budget is where we get infrastructure repaired, where we complete our capital projects and that is a whole different animal..."
While the majority of councillors were happy with the proposed budget, one councillor said he couldn't stand in support of it.
"When I started on council we had approximately 100 people employed with the city of Yorkton full time and now we're nearing 150... Those costs are long term. The people we're adding in this budget in my opinion are going to cost well over $200,000 a year, every year..." said Councillor Chris Wyatt Monday.
"Some of the things we've implemented as a council... bringing computers in, bringing consultants in to alleviate some of the work for the staff, I personally don't see a need to keep hiring extra staff and I have concerns about that."
Wyatt also said he has concerns about the direction council is moving in.
"I don't want to sound like a union man because that's the furthest thing from my mind right now, but a lot of the staff seems to be mid-management right now and I say we should have more boots on the ground..."
Storm drains have been collapsing at an alarming rate he says so he could justify additional workers in this area or on the ground in public works, but not in management.
"I just think this is going in the wrong direction. I know the money is there and this is a 'good news, feel good' story... We're getting more money from the province, the city is growing but that doesn't mean we open the gates and keep hiring..."
While he could identify with Wyatt's concerns, Councillor Bob Maloney said he believes more staff is necessary.
"At the city level we are busier than we've ever been... it's brought a lot pressures in a lot of different departments. I think what administration has asked for and what council has supported, has been increases where they're needed, people in places where we're providing services that are needed... I think sometimes growth is required when you're looking at delivering more services so while I agree we have to be cautious, and I think we have been cautious, I think when you're in the growth curve that we're in right now, you need to respond to it and you have to have people in place to do that."
