MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - Council has approved the 2024 operating and project budget, with the maintenance of Mountain View County's 2,897 kilometres of roads accounting for $23.1 million, more than 55 cent of the total operating budget.
The move came by way of motion at the Dec. 13 council meeting, with all council members present in person.
The approved operating budget is $26.9 million, the capital budget is $20.7 million, and municipal revenue is forecasted at $38.2 million, of which $32.6 million is generated from municipal taxes.
The operating budget has increased $700,000 or 1.7 per cent compared with 2022.
Council has not yet set 2024 mill rates, with deliberations for that taking place in the spring.
Reeve Angela Aalbers told the Albertan, “Without any increases to the 2024 mill rate, a draw of $3.5 million from our current reserve funds will be required to balance the budget.
“The county is in a good financial position and elected officials and county administration are always looking at our long-range plans to ensure our rate payers are protected from abrupt tax increases.
“Rising costs due to inflation continue to be a concern and our administration and council is continuously looking for improvements and efficiencies.”
Under inter-municipal agreements, the county contributes nine per cent of municipal tax revenue to the neighbouring towns and the village for both operating and capital of culture and recreation facilities. It totals $2.9 million in 2024.
Specifically, recreation funding in 2024 is $228,074 to Carstairs, Cremona $249,256, Didsbury $464,187, Olds $555,991, and Sundre $663,890.
Library funding includes $33,483 for Carstairs, $35,816 for Cremona, $43,917 for Didsbury, $52,602 for Olds, $62,811 for Sundre, and $15,369 for Water Valley.
Council approved $6.9 million for replacement of capital equipment, with the majority of that spent on four graders and six gravel trucks. The county hopes to realize about $2.3 million from the sale proceeds of the equipment being replaced.
Capital road projects total $6 million, including base stabilization, asphalt long patching, re-gravel, re-chip, and subdivision chipping programs. Bridge program capital spending totals $4.5 million, including carryover projects that required additional engineering or were under budgeted in 2023 of $3.1 million.
“With aging infrastructure, we anticipate the bridge program to require funding of more than $5 million per year from 2027 onward and so managing our capital reserve funds accordingly is of great importance,” said Aalbers.
“Council continues to defer all major road upgrade projects and instead is focused on maintaining our current infrastructure, funding reoccurring programs such as the re-gravel, re-chip, base stabilization, asphalt long patching, subdivision chipping , asphalt overlays of our paved roads and our bridge structures.”
The largest capital project approved, aside from roads, bridges and equipment purchases is the $3 million replacement of the county’s operations shop in Cremona.
Other projects approved include the Olds shop equipment storage project for $300,000, the Bergthal Road Lake project for $350,000, and the financial system development project for $355,000.
Council approved a cost of living adjustment of three per cent, compared to a consumer price index of 3.7 per cent from September 2023 to September 2024.
The complete budget document is available for viewing on the county’s website.
