ESTEVAN - Estevan city council approved the city’s budget for 2022 at Monday night’s meeting.
The budget package had been brought forward to council at the Jan. 10 meeting, and was then posted on the city’s website so that the public could provide feedback.
City manager Jeff Ward said city hall didn’t receive any responses about the document, and when Mayor Roy Ludwig asked council members if they had heard anything negative, none of them reported any complaints.
Council previously held a special budget meeting in November, when the city’s management team members were brought in to discuss operational and capital needs for this year, and to answer questions from council.
This year’s budget does not have an increase to the municipal share of property taxes, nor is there an increase for the water consumption rates on utility bills.
The school boards have yet to announce whether they will be increasing the education portion of property tax.
“Obviously we have no control over the school portion,” said Ward.
Ward said there haven’t been many changes to the document since the November meeting. The city will be seeking grants for some of the capital projects, such as repairs to the Estevan Leisure Centre’s roof, HVAC and membrane work, and they will also look for funding for street renewals.
“That’s one thing that would change the actual cash flow and potential borrowing bylaw, is whether we get funding for those projects,” Ward said. We generally won’t hear about those until then end of March. That’s usually in line with some of the federal year-end dates.
“That’s the only thing that we wait for that could adjust the budget. These projects need to be done, it’s just how they’re going to be funded.”
There is money in the budget to begin a residential road rehabilitation program, with Smith Street, Yardley Place and Hastings Place to be resurfaced this year.
“It does coincide with the construction of the Dennis Moore Centennial Park, seeing a lot of traffic and a lot of people in that area. I think it’s a good time to review that, and try to do some surface work in those areas.”
The capital budget also calls for continued water main replacements, the completion of resurfacing in the 800 and 900 blocks of Fourth Street, repairs to the paddling pool at Churchill Play Park so that it can open again, fleet renewals, sidewalk repairs and pathway maintenance.
Repairs to the city’s water tower, which will be funded by federal gas tax revenues, are also included in this year’s budget.
The budget also calls for the continued reduction in the city’s long-term debt.
