By Curtis Galbraith

City Hall

Day 1 of city budget talks includes discussion about roads, the Mobile Outreach Program, reserve funds, and soccer

Nov 13, 2020 | 6:00 AM

City Council will have more discussion about road-building plans on Day 2 of budget talks Friday.

Currently, $11 million has been set aside for the road rehabilitation plan for 2021.

Councillor Wade Pilat is wondering if it is possible to do all this work and if money from the Municipal Sustainability Fund, money that comes from the province, could be used for other projects.

Councillor Yad Minhas has a similar question about a proposed $6 million project to upgrade the former Highway 43 and bypass road. The province has given a grant for this as part of the city’s takeover of that road. Minhas says there are already a lot of projects in line for next year and is wondering if this could be pushed to another year.

Administration says it looks like this road would need a full reconstruction but would do some more checking with the engineering department.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

Funding for Mobile Outreach Program added

A program meant to help residents and businesses deal with issues like trespassing and drug use has been added to the 2021 city budget.

$390,000 from the 2021 RCMP budget, money meant to hire three new members, will instead go to the Mobile Outreach Program. This was previously listed as unfunded in the 2021 city budget.

The program has six trained people that help businesses and citizens deal with problems related to street engaged people. These can include public intoxication, needle debris, camps, loitering, trespassing and disturbances. It can also help connect homeless people with addiction and mental health services and find them a safe place to stay.

Councillor Chris Thiessen says some downtown businesses have called this program a blessing. Councillor Dylan Bressey adds this is not defunding the police and that next year’s RCMP budget would still go up by around $2 million. There is $23,480,490 in the 2021 RCMP budget.

This motion passed by a unanimous vote.

Reserve fund contributions reduced

Two motions meant to reduce the proposed 1.5 per cent tax increase passed.

The first passed by a unanimous vote. It will decrease the amount going into the Financial Stabilization Reserve fund by $800,000. Councillor Wade Pilat made the motion and says now is not the time to raise taxes to put money into savings. This reserve fund currently contains $16.6 million and is expected to still have $16.4 million by the end of next year, given how the city budget currently stands.

The other will see the amount going into the Facility Renewal Reserve drop by $955,000.

Councillor Clyde Blackburn was the only one to vote against the idea, calling it a dangerous move to reduce the amount set aside for repairs to and replacement of city facilities.

Mayor Bill Given says he could support the idea for this year but added future councils should not think this is what he terms “a sustainable approach.”

Seed money for new indoor soccer centre

Future indoor soccer facilities took up some discussion time on Day 1 of City Hall budget talks.

A motion to provide up to $100,000 in seed money for a new indoor soccer centre, provided the Swan City Football Club finds matching funds from other sources, was passed.

Three possible sites are being looked at, including the land where the current Comp high school sits, along with vacant land in the Riverstone and Smith areas. That last one will depend on future plans the Grande Spirit Foundation has for new facilities.

One other idea that was discussed was a partial demolition of the Leisure Centre, rather than a full one when the Comp is torn down in 2022. The city is trying to partner with the province to do both at once, City staff says adding another $1.03 million dollars to the $842,000 already set aside for demolition would allow the city to build a wall, change rooms, and washrooms and to preserve the soccer pitches that are already there. They add this would give the city another low-cost, recreational facility. No decisions have been made at this time.