MD OF BIGHORN – The MD of Bighorn's 2023-25 operating budget and five-year capital plan will head to council for deliberation after it was reviewed by the municipality’s governance and priorities committee.
Budget talks will begin Dec. 13, with operating expenses expected to increase from $6.5 million to $7.5 million for a 14.3 per cent jump from 2022. The estimated increase in mill rate – the property tax increase for residents – is 3.5 per cent for 2023.
“I think the budget is taking us forward in a direction that is going to help us achieve some of our strategic goals,” said Reeve Lisa Rosvold.
The bulk of operating expenses are staffing, with the MD currently going through a wage review to allow for an inflationary increase of current salaries.
Bighorn is following other area municipalities in keeping up staffing costs with inflation increases. The Town of Canmore is set to approve a 5.9 per cent cost of living adjustment for its staff, while the Town of Banff’s governance and finance committee recommended council add nearly $830,000 to the budget to help bridge the wage gap for its staff who are lagging in compensation compared to other municipalities.
“We are right in the middle of conducting a wage review for our staff,” Rosvold said. “We don’t have our final numbers but it is going to play a factor.”
The MD is putting more money into parks and recreation for a variety of projects, including snow clearing on Exshaw trail and money set aside for a trial experiment with portable toilets. The locations of the toilets have not been determined yet.
The budget forecasts a 74 per cent increase in parks and recreation, from $111,594 in 2022 to $194,778 in 2023.
“In terms of some of the operating budget, I would say more support has been directed to parks and recreation to help with community rinks and recreational infrastructure,” said Rosvold.
Total operating revenue for 2023 is expected to increase by $6,000, from $959,305 to $965,172. This represents a .61 per cent increase.
Fuel is also going to play a significant role in expenses due to the large size of the MD.
“One of the big factors for our large municipality is fuel costs,” Rosvold said. “We could spend all day driving and not touch every road in the MD. Inflation is definitely going to be felt in our operating budget.”
The 2023 potential capital projects could come in at $3.3 million, with $2.1 million coming from reserves, $603,000 from taxes and the remaining $630,500 from grants.
In 2024, the forecasted capital projects are $2.5 million with grants covering $1.22 million, reserves $706,000 and taxes $560,000. The possible capital projects in 2025 are $7.05 million – largely due to the new administration building earmarked for that year – with $3 million from reserves, $156,000 from taxes and $400,000 from grants. There is $3.5 million outlined from an other source.
The reserves contribution will be set at $655,844 for 2023, down from $888,472 in 2022, but it is forecasted to increase to $734,000 in 2024 and $982,000 in 2025. The total transfers to reserves will also be less. According to the budget, the MD is forecasted to close 2022 with $12.82 million in reserves.
In 2023, the transfers will be $996,323, down from $1.2 million in 2022.
Rosvold feels that the budget reflects what the residents of the MD have been looking for from administration.
“The budget reflects what we have been hearing from the public,” Rosvold said. “We have been receiving requests for increased services around parks and recreation and solid waste and recycling. I do think there will be some support out there. A lot of it is for services that are being asked for.”
FORECASTED PROPERTY TAX REQUIREMENT
2022: $$6.54 million
2023: $$7.47 million (14.3 per cent increase from 2022)
2024: $7.57 million (1.29 per cent increase from 2023)
2025: $7.62 million (0.64 per cent increase from 2024)
ESTIMATED RESERVE CONTRIBUTIONS
2022: $888,500
2023: $656,000
2024: $734,000
2025: $983,000
BUDGETED TRANSFERS TO RESERVES
2022: $1.23 million
2023: $996,000
2024: $1.08 million
2025: $1.33 million
2023 PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS
- Exshaw stormwater improvements – $750,000 from reserves
- Road rehabilitation work – $400,000 from grants
- Fire chief command vehicle – $250,000 from reserves
- Bush buggy replacement – $230,000 from reserves
- Structural protection trailer – $220,000 from reserves
- East Exshaw lane regrading – $210,000 ($125,000 from reserves and $85,000 from grants)
- Exshaw area structure plan – $130,000 from taxes
- Dead Man’s Flats Pigeon Creek pedestrian bridge – $75,000
- Jamieson Road area structure plan – $70,000
- Harvie Heights area redevelopment plan – $50,000
2024 PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS
- Exshaw stormwater improvements – $750,000 from grants
- Dead Man’s Flats 2nd Avenue streetscape improvements – $500,000 from taxes
- Road rehabilitation work – $400,000 from grants
- Garbage truck – $225,000 from reserves
- Harvie Heights stormwater improvements – $50,000 from reserves
2025 PROPOSED CAPITAL PROJECTS
- New administration building – $4.5 million ($1 million from reserves and $3.5 million from other)
- Bridge rehabilitation program – $955,000 from reserves
- Road rehabilitation work – $400,000 from grants
- Hooklift – $175,000 from reserves
- Seven organic bins – $105,000 from taxes
