Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
During its Dec. 14 meeting, the municipality鈥檚 committee of the whole recommend council approve the 2022 to 2026 operating budget as presented.
This comes after council approved the capital budget last week.
Overall, the operating budget proposes a return to typical municipal operations, according to administration.
The budget calls for significant investments in existing facilities, largely funded through grants, and a strategic phase in of funding to improve water and wastewater systems.
There will also be the addition of new non-tax revenue from paid parking for visitors and a 鈥渃autious鈥� reduction in use of the COVID Recovery reserve, administration noted.
Only two new positions have been proposed, and both are substantially funded through external sources.
These positions are a municipal energy manager shared with the Town of Hinton and a policy review co-ordinator that is subject to receiving a grant from the province.
Prior to capital budget amendments from council, the 2022 operating budget contained a net-tax envelope of $9,407,899, a 16.4 per cent increase over the $8-million net-tax envelope of 2021.
The amendments have since reduced the net-tax envelope by 3.5 per cent down to $9,122,304 on total expenses of $31,272,360 and revenues of $22,150,056.
This would be an increase of 12.9 per cent when compared to 2021.
Mayor Richard Ireland asked during the meeting how the unusual amount of snowfall recently, which resulted in more snow removal, might impact the operating budget.
CAO Bill Given replied that administration hadn鈥檛 had time yet to factor this in but noted they were currently under budget and there was a winter roads reserve worth $137,000.
Ireland also inquired about how COVID relief reserve was factored into the net-tax envelope for 2021 compared to 2022.
Given said that it was factored in the net-tax envelope for both years, with the reserve helping reduce the net-tax envelope by $1 million higher in 2021 and $500,000 in 2022.
The operating budget also allocates funds to several community groups.
These allocations include $193,800 for the Jasper Municipal Library, $49,000 for the Jasper-Yellowhead Museum and Archives and $12,500 for Jasper Victim Services.
The Jasper Artists Guild would receive $2,350 for general use and $7,227.60 for a lease reduction.
Habitat for the Arts would get $25,000 for staffing and $20,000 for a lease reduction.
The operating budget will come before council on Jan. 4.
Later in the spring, council will consider the mill rate and how to split the tax burden between residential and commercial ratepayers.
