Morinville, Alta. – Morinville Council passed the 2024 – 2026 Operating Budget and the 2024 to 2033 Long-Term Capital Plan at their Regular Meeting of Council on Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
Council approved the 2024-2026 Operating Budget as amended by a vote of 6-1 (Councillor Balanko opposed), and the 2024-2033 Capital Budget unanimously, amending the general municipal tax requisition to $13,147,824 and increasing the residential tax rate by 5.21%. This results in a projected residential tax increase of approximately $12.53/month subject to fluctuations in property tax assessment.
In addition to the projected tax rate approved by Council, non-residential rates will also be impacted by the Taxation Policy that moves the residential to non-residential tax ratio from 1:1.15 to 1:1.33. The combined impact on the average non-residential property will be an increase of approximately $111.36/month.
Council and Administration began preliminary discussions regarding Budget 2024 in May, with the presentation of the proposed budgets to Council September 22 and 23, 2023.
The 2024 Operating Budget is focused on maintaining current service levels and includes increases only where necessary to do so. The 2024 -2033 Long-Term Capital Plan; however, incorporates significant increases in capital investments to ensure core infrastructure is able to continue to provide current service levels, to mitigate risk and liability, and to comply with provincial benchmarks. Council’s Capital Budget approval includes:
- Fully funding the first five years of infrastructure renewal projects included in the Long-term Capital Plan through the adoption of a Long-term Operating Plan
- Approval also includes a limited number of growth and renewal projects funded by off-site levy revenue and debentures.
- Additional growth and renewal projects may be added at Council’s discretion should Morinville outperform conservative projections.
- Necessary tax increases to provide the required capital funding be phased in over the next five years,
- Creating a more equitable balance between residential and non-residential support for the budget, the residential to non-residential ratio be increased to 1:1.33 for the 2024 taxation year.
Council’s goal was to develop a budget with a phased-in approach to increasing tax rates to levels necessary to support the increased investment in capital infrastructure.
With the approval of the 2024 budget, there were several operational projects that will be moving forward:
- Increasing operational hours at the Morinville Leisure Centre
- March 31 - August 2024 (19 weeks) 6am - 9pm Monday - Saturday, closed Sundays. Open Statutory Holidays, 8 am - 8 pm, with the exception of being closed Christmas Day.
- Community bus
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- Council supported relaunching this service for 2024. Reintroducing this service is estimated at $35,000 for the 2024 fiscal year
- Snow clearing levels
- Council implemented an increased service level of residential clearings at a 12 cm snowpack (previously 15cm), consistent with the amendments Council approved to the Snow and Ice Clearing Policy earlier in 2023.
Other amendments to note included: removal of the census project and an increase of $140,000 to salary and benefit attrition.
“Council and I understand the economic climate has been challenging for a number of years and we do not take any tax increases lightly,” says Mayor Simon Boersma. “However, the same challenges that individuals and business face with respect to rising costs and inflation are challenges the town also faces. Town Council and Administration strive to ensure that we make the best use of the tax and utility revenue we collect.”
Capital Budget
The 2024 Capital Budget was approved for $4,882,000.00. The following projects were included in this capital plan:
- Residential Road Rehab ($1,670,000)
- Main and Arterial Road Rehab ($200,000)
- Alley and Parking Lot Program ($30,000)
- Sidewalk Rehab Program ($250,000)
- Parks Infrastructure Rehab Program ($110,000)
- Sanitary Sewer Truck and Manhole Relining ($325,000)
- Utilities Infrastructure Renewal Program ($250,000)
- Fleet & Equipment Replacements ($874,000)
- Pedestrian Safety Improvements ($160,000)
- Fish Screen Heritage lake ($40,000)
- Oakmont Booster Station Controls and Mechanical Upgrade ($230,000)
- Salt and Sand Storage Shed ($350,000)
- Town Hall Backup Generator ($365,000)
- Fleet & Equipment Additions ($28,000)
Fees & Charges Bylaw
During the meeting, Council also approved the 2024 Fees and Charges Bylaw, which includes rates for water, wastewater, solid waste and stormwater. Increased costs for the supply of water and treatment of wastewater, along with inflationary pressures on maintenance and operations, have resulted in necessary increases.
- Water
- Rates have increased slightly from 2.90/m3 to $3.00/ m3
- This increase is due to increased cost of water as well as inflationary costs of water distribution
- Wastewater
- Rates have increased from $1.56/ m3 to $1.94/ m3
- This increase is primarily driven by an increase to the cost of wastewater treatment.
- The Town’s wastewater regional services commission, Arrow Utilities is facing it’s own challenges with aging infrastructure, necessitating the significant rate increase.
- Stormwater charges are increasing from $15/month for residential and $30/month for non-residential to $20/month for residential and $40/month for non-residential.
- Solid Waste
- No changes to household waste fees
- Increases to commercial-size waste bin fees
Waste Management Bylaw
Council also approved the Waste Management Bylaw that establishes and outlines the municipal services and resident responsibilities pertaining to solid waste collection (garbage, organics and recycling). Updates to the bylaw were necessary to align with the new collection service contract coming into effect January 1, 2024. Updates to the bylaw included a new, large item pickup collection service which is scheduled to take place June 11 and 12, 2024.
The final municipal tax rate will be approved in Spring 2024 when the Property Tax Bylaw is passed. Tax notices will be mailed out to Morinville property owners by May 31 with payment due on or before June 30, 2024.