Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 57 • Issue 17
City spending will rise 6.6 per cent from last year, mainly due to contractual increases BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
GIRL GUIDES GATHER GARBAGE NEWS - PAGE 2
TERRY FOX RUN SEEKS CO-ORDINATOR NEWS - PAGE 3
YOUTH BEHAVIOUR SURVEY RESULTS NEWS - PAGE 5
STRESS RELIEF THROUGH YOUGA POSE YOGIFOODPRENEUR - PAGE 8
Council put forward a stand-pat budget at its public financial plan presentation April 20, which will see a total increase of 1.19 per cent in the residential mill rate and 0.94 per cent in the commercial mill rate, while the business tax rate is going down 5.6 per cent, from 4.49 per cent to 4.24 per cent. As provincial legislation mandates that the city must pass a balanced budget, revenues and expenses are both projected to total $32,418,138 in the 2017 budget, about 6.6 per cent higher than in 2016, though Mayor Dennis Fenske, who presented the proposed financial plan, said increases were mainly due to contractual obligations like rising wages for police and city employees and projected cost inflation of expenses such as hydro rates. First reading of the levy bylaw based on the 2017 financial plan was passed at council’s April 10 meeting and second and third reading were on the agenda for the April 24 meeting. The city had a surplus of $1 million from projected spending on RCMP services in 2016 because the average complement of the force was only 31 officers, seven below the full complement of 38. Most of that money – $819,178 – is allocated towards potential RCMP expenses for the 2017 fiscal year to cover wage increases approved by the federal government April 5 that are retroactive to the beginning of 2015. The remaining $180,822 is currently being allocated to potential community safety officer costs pending the province approv-
ing the program beyond its two-year pilot phase, which ends this May. The city will also provide $200,000 to a tourism promotion group that will be formed by local hotel owners and operators. That money will come from the accommodation tax levied on hotel rooms in the city. There will also be $150,000 dedicated to the 2018 Manitoba Winter Games, half from the existing operations budget and half from the economic development/tourism reserve. Tax levies represent the biggest portion of the city’s revenues, with the Vale grant-in-lieu and transfers each making up 17 per cent and provincial and federal grants another 14 per cent. Employee benefits and salaries account for half of the city’s expenses and the RCMP contract another 18 per cent, leaving 32 per cent for all other spending categories, including debenture repayments, payments to outside agencies, utilities, the purchases of materials, repairs and maintenance, waste disposal, and purchasing of services. Debenture payments in 2017 will total $1,723,988 to pay off the costs of capital investments in the public safety building, a rescue pumper truck, the establishment and paving of UCN Drive, building the Vale Regional Community Centre and other recreation projects. Controlled entities – the Thompson Housing Agency, the library, the zoological society and the recycling centre – will receive $620,000 in 2017, down from $670,000 in 2016 because of the dissolution of Thompson Unlimited. The city is plan-
City of Thompson 2017 Expenses ϰй
Protective Services (34%)
ϭй
Fiscal Services (20%)
ϳй ϯϰй
ϵй
Transportation Services (12%) Recreation and Culture Services (12%) Transfer from Reserves (9%)
ϭϮй
General Government (7%) Environmental Health Services (4%)
ϭϮй
Economic Development Services (1%)
ϮϬй
Public Health and Welfare Services (1%) Environmental Development Services (<1%)
Total Expense $32,418,138
The City of Thompson’s revenues and expenses are both projected to total $32,418,138 in the 2017 budget, about 6.6 per cent higher than in 2016. ning to hire an economic development officer, whose salary will come from its operating budget. Community groups will receive $144,278 in 2017, up from $125,126 in 2016 due to an increase from $60,000 to $62,500 for the museum and new expenditures of $10,000 for Spirit Way, $4,277 for the purchase of a Spirit Way sign in MacLean Park and $4,875 for the Thompson Chamber of Commerce, which will go toward the development of a local tourism strategy. Funding for the homeless shelter is going down from $25,000 to $22,500, while the cost of insurance for the Burntwood Curling Club remains at $9,000 and the fees paid to the Thompson Humane Society for services are $31,126, the same as in 2016. The total residential mill rate in 2017 is 39.978 compared to 39.509 in 2016, with the School District of Mystery Lake levy having increased 0.26 per cent from 18.529 to 18.578 and the city levy up two per cent, from 2.980 mills to 21.400. The commercial mill
rate will go from 50.009 to 50.478 because it also includes the provincial education support levy. For a house with an assessed value of $200,000, total taxes will go up 1.19 per cent from $3,556 to $3,598, though net taxes after the provincial rebate of $700 for those who receive it would be up 1.47 per cent over last year, though the dollar amount of the difference – $42 – remains the same. Taxes are levied based on 45 per cent of a property’s assessed value ($90,000 in the case of home assessed at $200,000). A commercial property with an assessed value of $1,000,000 will be assessed $305 more in taxes in 2017, going up from $32,506 to $32,811. A business with an assessment of $100,000, which is based on the annual rental value of the property the business occupies, would pay taxes of $4,240 in 2017, down $250 from $4,490 in 2016. The special levy for water, storm and sewer service line maintenance, which covers the cost of water and sewer repair
digs more than one metre from the foundation of a residential property will be $83.80 per residence in 2017, down from $117.07 per residence in 2016. The reduction, which is the result of fewer water breaks, the replacement of water mains and service lines, and reduced pressure in the distribution system, means that the net difference in taxes paid for a residential property valued at $200,000 will be an increase of $8.73 (the difference between the $42 increase in taxes and the $33.27 reduction of the special levy). About 20 members of the public attended the April 20 public hearing. The city received one written objection to the proposed financial plan from Christine Auger. The only attendees to comment on the fi nancial plan were Erika McCarthy, who said she would like to see more money spent on upgrading Norplex Pool, and Gloria Jacobs, who said she would like to see improvements to Thompson’s roads, an opinion Fenske said was likely shared by everyone in the room.
zero interest zero payments zero down zero debt zero hassle ail Watch the mr! for our flye www.twinmotors.ca 1-800-268-2312 40 Station Road
buy any new or used vehicle and you could win our
10,000
$
Guaranteed giveaway! details in-store
YOUR twin motors SALES TEAM: Adam • Sid • dave • CALL 204-677-2312