By Sheldon Spackman
A little more off the top so to speak during Operating Budget deliberations at Red Deer City Hall on Monday. $140,632 was trimmed from the Budget, making the newly revised Property Tax Rate increase currently at 2.1 percent heading into Tuesday’s deliberations.
Items not approved for funding in 2017 during Monday’s discussions include $65,632 in ongoing money for the additional cost of fueling and maintaining the larger transit fleet comprising of CNG and conventional transit buses. $50,000 in one-time funding for a pilot project next winter to test the use of the Ross Street Patio as part of a Winter Festival in advance of the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer. Also, $25,000 in one-time funding was cut from the Budget for Downtown Safety Initiatives being undertaken by the Downtown Community Development Committee.
Items approved for funding this year include nearly $154,000 in one-time funding for the Central Alberta Crime Prevention Centre, which is an active participant in the City’s overall Community Safety Strategy. $118,484 in ongoing funding requested by the Library Board to meet it’s salary and benefit obligations as per it’s collective agreement. $100,000 in one-time funding towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Safety Committee. $70,000 in one-time funding for celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday this year. $48,695 in ongoing funding approved for a 3 percent increase to the Museum and Art Gallery and Waskasoo Environmental Education Society. Nearly $40,000 in one-time funding support within the Central Alberta Economic Partnership in which the City of Red Deer will give one year notice to become a member. Officials say a portion of this funding flows through to Central Alberta Access Prosperity, which has a mandate to attract foreign investment. $10,000 in ongoing funding was also approved for the increased cost of a more robust effort to control invasive species in the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary, which was recommended by the Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary Committee. Finally, $6,237 in ongoing funding was approved for a 2.5 percent increase in a contract with the Tourism Board. However, City Manager Craig Curtis says as per Council’s direction, staff will explore alternative delivery models over the course of this year and come back to Council with a report in December.
Operating Budget deliberations are currently slated to continue at Red Deer City Hall from 1:00 – 5:00 pm each day for the rest of this week.
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