Olds town council approved the Parkland Regional Library 2012 budget and acknowledged the library system board's 2013 and 2014 projections at its regular meeting last week.
In previous correspondence, Parkland had expected to requisition a per-capita rate of $7.29. However, in the 2012 budget submitted to council, the rate is $7.07. In 2011, Olds paid a per-capita rate of $6.97.
Two items in the budget gave council pause. The projected per-capita rates for 2013 and 2014 show a steep increase, going from $7.07 to $7.53 and $7.91.
While town administration is a little concerned about the significant rate jump, they believe that the 2013 and 2014 rates might be lower than expected.
“It seems to be the practice that these projections in years further out than the current year that they are asking for approval are sort of hit and miss,” said CAO Norm McInnis.
“The practice is, oftentimes, the real number is significantly below what the projections are.”
Councillor Harvey Walsh also questioned Parkland's decision to transfer $19,845 from its technology reserve into operating to reduce the per-capita requisition to municipalities.
“I am wanting to understand a little better the rationale of pulling money out of reserve to cover operating for the coming year and whether they foresee that as a pattern for the future,” said Walsh.
Councillor Murray Ball, who is the town representative on the Parkland committee, believes the transfer is a one-time deal.
“There was a feeling that there had been a continual rise in requisition and this was a way of slowing that rise in the short term,” said Ball.
“It was fully expected that it would not be money taken from reserves in the near future to cover that.”
In the end, council approved the Parkland budget as presented.
