While nothing has been formally passed, Yorkton city council members have reviewed the operating budget for 2013 and it looks as though a five per cent tax increase is on the horizon.
Keeping up with infrastructure needs and storm sewer issues mean more dollars will need to be spent in the coming year to keep the city on track with a growing population.
Yorkton's storm network is 53 km long and the majority of it has never been inspected says Finance Director Lonnie Kaal who made a presentation to council Monday evening announcing the need for a slight increase in taxes.
"There are known problem spots extending eight km that continue to exhibit recurring flooding. In both 2011 and 2012 video inspections revealed pipe in problem areas is filled with sedimentation and tree roots."
Sixty catch basins have collapsed or have sink holes beside them and will need to be replaced. In order to keep up with the problems dollars will be need to be spent. A five year plan to replace known failures will cost about $60,000 a year says Kaal.
"In order to improve the storm network an additional $230,000 plus $60,000 ($290,000) will be required. The $230,000 will be used to inspect and clean roots out of (known) storm pipes and given the vastness of the problem," she adds, "it will take $1,600,000 to clean and inspect the entire drainage network. This amount will need to be budgeted for on an ongoing basis."
The plan for 2013 also includes a three per cent increase in water rates, which equates to about a $2.12/month hike for a typical household and a 2.8 per cent rise in residential refuse collection rates - about $3 per year.
"For the average home in Yorkton currently assessed at $100,000, a five per cent increase will equate to $62 per year."
While councillors were in agreement money needs to be spent on an aging infrastructure to keep up with the times, not all felt a tax increase was the way to go about doing this.
Councillor Chris Wyatt believes there are areas in the budget that could be trimmed to bring added dollars for infrastructure.
Opposed to the proposed budget he says city staffing levels are growing too high and with an increasing population, residential taxes should be decreasing, rather than rising.
"It's time to find savings within, before looking to the taxpayers for more money..."
In the end council, opted to table the budget until the December 17 meeting to allow for public comment and further consideration.
Vehicle Purchase
In addition to budget deliberations, on Monday council also discussed, and decided on, the purchase of a new vehicle for the Sask Abilities transit fleet. The unit comes with a price tag of $73,550 plus GST.
Gord Shaw, from the city's planning and engineering department, says a vehicle that has been in operation and was expected to last until 2013, has experienced motor problems that are too costly to warrant.
"This unit was scheduled to be replaced in 2013 and it is not cost effective to try to repair it. The loss of the unit however, impacts the delivery of para-transit services to the community."
The purchase of the new unit will be funded through a transit reserve fund and as well, provincial funding will be sought.
