By Greg Higgins

N.B. residents to see increase in utility and levy fees

Dec 13, 2016 | 3:05 PM

There will be at least a $91 increase to the average home next year due to some necessary infrastructure repairs.

At last night’s council meeting, part of the budget pertaining to the Underground Pipes and Asphalt Repair (UPAR) was approved. Spending will be increased from $2.7 million to $3.3 and the money will come from taxes and utilities. Each household will see an increase of $51 on their yearly utility bills, which comes out to $4.25 a month. The other $40 will be added as a footage levy, which is assumed to be 50 feet for most residential properties.

Council’s big concern was falling behind on infrastructure. Councillor Len Taylor was particularly concerned about the aging of the underground pipes.  

“I didn’t know this but we have 104 kilometres of water mains in the city and 94 kilometres of sewage,” Taylor said. “We are replacing it at a rate of two kilometres per year. We still have a ways to go. Sixty kilometres of that piping will turn 60 years old in the next 10 years, which means that is where our emphasis will be.”

Councillor Kevin Stienborn was even more concerned about waiting on hiring contractors. He said the longer the city waits to hire companies, the more costly it will be to hire them because many will already have other contracts.

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The UPAR program is currently spending $3.1 million, which according to the city, means it is running a deficit. When the surplus from last year is added to the deficit from this year, they are looking at a total deficit of roughly $200,000. The increase to $3.3 million is to cover the deficit and allow the program to run at the current spending rate of $3.1 million.

Initially, the city proposed and increase to $3.5 million, which councillor Greg Lightfoot disagreed with and suggested it be adjusted to $3.3 million. At $3.5 million, it would have cost the average family $120 per year instead of $91.

The monthly cost for residents should climb higher once council decides what to do with the general taxation and other proposed hikes. Council will meet tomorrow at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed three per cent general tax increase and the three per cent utility increase. The city has also proposed additional curb side pickup increases and user fee changes at the waste management facility.

The city estimated a total $200 increase per average household for next year if everything was approved without change. Now that UPAR has been decreased, it will be a maximum of $170 depending on how deliberations go on Wednesday. Council wanted to make sure the public knew there would be no official decision at tomorrow’s meeting.

Mayor Ryan Bater said there is a good chance a decision won’t be made by Jan. 1.

“If a decision isn’t made by then, and it is looking like it won’t be, the charges will become retroactive,” Bater said. “Municipal governments run the same as the colander years where the provincial and federal governments run April to April.” 

Greg Higgins is battlefordsNOW’s city municipal affairs and health reporter. He can be reached at ghiggins@jpbg.ca or tweet him @realgreghiggins.