(file photo/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Budget 2021

City 2021 budget deliberations wrap up with recommendations for council

Dec 11, 2020 | 9:03 AM

In the City of North Battleford’s last meeting of deliberations Thursday night, the committee-of-the-whole made some amendments to the proposed budget after reviewing several items raised in earlier rounds over the past week.

No decisions are made during the deliberation process, only recommendations to council.

The proposed 2021 budget still calls for a one per cent property tax increase to benefit the capital fund. There is no increase for utilities or UPAR.

An unbudgeted request to purchase a new Handi-Bus was recommended, supported by a provincial grant for about 50 per cent of the cost, with the remainder from Battlefords Transit System’s surplus funds in 2020 from reduced fuel use.

For unbudgeted third party grant asks, the committee recommended providing grants requested for Concern For Youth ($5,000) and Midwest Food Resources, which asked for $5,830 but is now expected to have a lower request next week when council makes its decision. An extra $10,000 is available in the budget to account for these two new requests.

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When discussing the Dekker Centre, the committee mentioned it would like to see the organization attempt to find more efficiencies in 2021 to try to reduce its ask in the future. The committee is challenging the centre to look for savings.

The committee hopes to meet all the third party request amounts for 2021. If the tally is slightly over budget for the category as anticipated, the mayor said the city’s Finance Director could likely find the difference during the year.

In reviewing a separate proposal for a new RCMP officer, the committee deferred it until later in the year when more information is available.

New CSO position recommended

The committee recommended a new Community Safety Officer (CSO) position be added to the budget as proposed by administration. Another CSO officer would allow more time for downtown patrols. Better enforcement of city business licenses would help cover some of the cost. The Business Improvement District indicated they would like to contribute to the position as well to assist with more presence downtown to enhance safety, Mayor David Gillan said.

Director of Protective Services Lindsay Holm said he was able to lower the initially estimated ask to $110,000 for the CSO position instead of $120,000, and also identified some additional efficiencies to help cover the remainder of the cost.

The city also plans to discuss the CSO program level of service further in January at its first Planning Committee meeting.

The city is looking at an unbudgeted proposal for transportation master plan improvements to the intersection near the Sobeys grocery store, for a project estimated at $700,000. The intersection is located where Territorial Drive meets 95 St. and Killdeer Dr. The city plans to lobby the provincial government in 2021 for support for the project, as the intersection receives traffic from provincial transportation routes. The city aims to earmark the project for the 2022 budget when funding is identified.

“It is an important item. We don’t want to lose sight of it because that intersection is dangerous,” Gillan said.

A proposal in the budget for a seniors’ outdoor fitness space with exercise equipment ($60,000) at Centennial Park was deferred. Another proposal to renovate the bottom floor of the Allen Sapp Gallery to create a proper exhibit area ($35,000) was also deferred. The committee wants to see more strategic discussion on these projects. It instead recommended putting the total $95,000 estimated cost for the two projects into the city’s capital reserves for 2021. Gillan mentioned these projects may possibly come back in the future as they are still being reviewed.

The committee recommended a proposal by the Public Works dept. to add an item for seasonal workers to be used to assist with road repairs.

For the Waste Management Facility area, the committee recommended obtaining another portable trailer to resolve an Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) matter. Currently, the workers’ eating and changing areas are located together in one trailer. OH&S issued a warning that these spaces need to be separated. The committee recommended using the city’s leftover Saskatchewan Municipal Economic Enhancement Program (MEEP) funding for the purchase, if there enough money left over and if it is eligible for this project.

102 St. UPAR work

The committee recommended proceeding with a proposal for Underground Pipeline and Asphalt Rehabilitation (UPAR) improvements downtown on 102 St., running from Railway Ave. to 16 Ave., in 2021. The budgeted cost of the project is $550,000 for water work, $390,000 for sewer work, and $2,095,000 for road work.

Councillors noted about three businesses will be directly impacted. Administration will work with the business owners in particular to minimize the disruption during the construction.

Council members are aware this project is a priority and the planning work on it has already been done.

It was noted the city would have to spend much more money, in the long run, to switch projects at this stage in time.

Council members will have a chance to further discuss the bulb-outs curb extensions for 102 St. downtown, similar to what has been installed elsewhere in the city’s core, as part of the Downtown Master Plan design, during the next Planning Committee meeting in January.

The proposed 2021 budget is expected to be decided at council’s next regular meeting Dec. 14.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW