Duane Hicks
While there is not any single major project as a line item in the town’s preliminary capital budget for 2010, council and administration still will face some tough choices to decide what gets done and what gets cut during this year’s budget process.
Council met Monday for its first bi-weekly committee of the whole budget meeting to go over the list of about 90 projects and purchases for the year ahead, which collectively would cost about $10.4 million if they all were to proceed.
Several road projects are on the slate, including a surface treatment for Fifth Street from Portage Avenue to McIrvine Road ($79,150), a second lift surface treatment for Idylwild Drive ($25,000), and road surface treatments for Frog Creek Road and Oakwood Road ($28,377 and $44,877, respectively, although the latter will depend on an agreement with Alberton).
Also on the list are an engineering study for traffic control lights on King’s Highway at Webster Avenue ($5,760) and an upgrade to traffic control systems on King’s Highway at McIrvine Road and King’s Highway at Keating Avenue ($40,000).
Other road projects, like phase two of the biomass roads project, mostly is being covered by provincial and federal grants while others, like the reconstruction of Scott Street from Reid Avenue to Colonization Road East, will not proceed unless provincial “Connecting Link” funding comes through.
While work on the Portage Avenue underpass may been done last year, the town will have to spend another $25,000 to clean and paint the underpass, and may end up spending $400,000 for a new pumphouse foundation, storm sewer force main, projects extras, and railway pipe crossing.
Over in the parks department, some budget items include waterfront dock repairs and replacement ($20,000), replacing the protective surface around equipment at the Lions’ Park ($17,000), and a sun shelter at McIrvine Park ($16,000), among others.
A new line item to the budget this year is Sunny Cove Camp, which the town purchased from the Fort Frances Kiwanis Club late last year.
The town is planning to make $150,000 in improvements, which will cover electrical, mechanical, structural, and water treatment upgrades, as well as ensuring the facilities are barrier-free.
As for recreation, some
improvements to the Memorial Sports Centre may include a new weight room floor ($32,000), pool deck resurfacing ($25,000), and viewing area carpet replacement ($10,000).
Over at the Sorting Gap Marina, the town is looking at replacing the fuel tank ($48,000) and painting the Sorting Gap building exterior ($10,000).
The Sister Kennedy Centre also is expected to get $15,000 in building repairs.
As well, the town will be asking the Rainy River District School Board to help pay for two projects.
One is the replacement of the stage floor at the Townshend Theatre, with both parties splitting the $25,000 cost, while the other is the relocation of the tennis courts to Fort Frances High School—a job estimated at $550,000.
Several councillors noted the latter project is unlikely to happen this year, given the considerable cost, but still permitted Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft to write a letter to the school board regarding any future partnership.
Council also will be considering several budget requests made by local groups, such “Meals on Wheels” (operating grant), the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce (marketing funds), BIA (main street revitalization and lamps on Scott Street), Rainy River Valley Safety Coalition (crossing guard at Keating Avenue and a safety zone near west-end schools), and the Active Transportation Committee’s initiatives (signage and line painting).
Members of council did not cut any items from the budget Monday, but have asked administration to priorize items and come back with those priorities at the next budget meeting slated for Monday, Feb. 1 at 4 p.m.
One example is a reduction in the number of proposed vehicle replacements in the capital budget from six to three. These vehicles include four trucks and a van.
Another example is a salt storage building for Public Works. The $528,278 building, which possibly would be partially paid for through a grant, would save money in the long run by protecting road salt from the elements while it’s being stored.
On the other hand, the shed has not been a high priority in the past and, in fact, has been a line item on the capital budget for the past four years.
Operating shortfall
Meanwhile, on the operating side of the preliminary budget, the town is seeing a shortfall of $531,268.
Two areas which are seeing big jumps over last year are waste management services and the airport.
Due to the increasing cost of recycling and decreased revenues at the landfill, the budgeted amount for waste management has increased from $61,357 in 2009 to $95,839 in 2010.
Coun. Ken Perry said the town has to find a way to make money off recycling, adding the province is mandating municipalities recycle more and more while the town has to spend more and more to keep shipping it away.
He added he knows of a local individual who has done research on recycling in Denmark and Korea, and may want to do recycling here.
Coun. Perry suggested he town should work with the unnamed proponent, who has not yet contacted council, to see if they can do a pilot project.
Coun. Paul Ryan noted it is unfortunate all the rules and regulations are made in Toronto, where recycling is far different than it is here, adding that for the town, it costs $300/ton to recycle and only $60/ton to landfill waste.
Coun. Wiedenhoeft said that maybe the town should put together a presentation on the town’s recycling issues in time for the annual OGRA/ROMA conference local delegates are going to attend in Toronto next month.
Meanwhile, the operating budget for the airport has soared to $206,090 from $143,904 last year.
The airport has been seeing fewer users in recent years, with the most recent number showing 157 fewer flights last year than in 2008.
This, in turn, affected fuel sales.
Coun. Ryan pointed out Bearskin has had an average of 3.5 passengers per flight.
“Our airport is being used less and less, but it’s something we almost have to cope with,” said Coun. Wiedenhoeft.
Coun. Perry noted perhaps the airport operation could change so that it’s only open when scheduled flights come in.
Something new to the operating budget this year is an increase to the number of staff working at the Sorting Gap Marina this summer.
Community Services manager George Bell said two staff will be there from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. to help run the relocated and renovated lookout tower and Hallett, as well as run the marina.
Last year, the marina was staffed by one person from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and then two from 3-10 p.m.
This staffing increase is a trial run, with Bell saying this may not be necessary in coming years depending on how busy they prove to be.
Also added to the operating budget for 2010 is $53,000 to operate Sunny Cove Camp, which the town took over from the local Kiwanis Club late last year.
This operating cost is about the same as what the Kiwanis have been running it for.
The operating budget also includes two percent wage increases, and five percent benefit increases, for town staff.
The operating shortfall does not include possible increases to the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board levy or any money put into reserves.
In related news, council also received a report Monday regarding 2010 water and sewer rates from Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown.
The report indicated a three percent increase to water and sewer rates as a starting point to assist council in establishing the new rates for 2010.
But the report will be reviewed by the Operations and Facilities executive committee, and what the final rate change may end up being will depend on what rate scenarios come forth in the future and what council thinks of them.
The first water bills of 2010 will be sent out the first week of March.
