With the most recent meeting being held last Friday, Fort Frances council continues to work on the town’s 2005 budget, with no firm decisions made yet.
“It’s an ongoing process,” treasurer Peggy Dupuis said yesterday.
Dupuis noted council has not made any decision regarding tax increases for local property owners this year.
But Mayor Dan Onichuk did say in a Jan. 12 article in the Times that the town has been reliant on drawing from its reserves, and that council and administration still must decide this year how much to put aside for future projects.
“At the end of the day, we won’t be looking at [a] double-digit [tax] increase,” the mayor had said at that time.
Dupuis noted the town’s 2005 budget shortfall currently stands at $324,735—a total which includes contributions to capital spending and reserves.
But she added that number has gone up and down throughout the budget process, and likely will continue to do so before the 2005 budget is finalized.
She noted that with such a shortfall, the operating budget, in turn, can’t be passed until the shortfall is accounted for and the budget balanced.
Dupuis also said the town still is waiting for more numbers before it can even near finalization of its operating budget, noting there have been no final numbers yet from the Rainy River District Social Services Board or Rainycrest Home for the Aged regarding the town’s portion of their levies.
The town has budgeted for a “fairly large” increase in the Rainycrest levy, Dupuis said, though more recent reports indicate the total amount of the home’s bill not be as great as previously thought.
In fact, the town’s portion of the annual payment to Rainycrest may even decrease.
CAO Mark McCaig had noted previously he was hopeful the town could have the 2005 budget ready for approval by the end of March. Before that, however, a meeting will be scheduled to outline the budget to the public.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
