HomeMy WebLinkAboutTR-22-91 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE
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METING: SPECIAL GENERAL PURPOSE & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
DATE: March 8, 1991
REPORT #: TR-22-91 FILE #:
SUBJECT:
1991 CAPITAL BUDGET & 1991 CURRENT BUDGET
AND FOUR YEAR FORECAST
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and
Administration Committee recommend to Council the following:
1. That report TR-22-91 be received for information;
2 . That the 1991 Capital and Current Budget be approved, as
outlined in Report TR-22-91; and
3 . That the four year forecast be approved in principle.
Background & Comments:
1. Overall Increase:
The 1991 Current Budget and 1991 Capital Budget and four year
forecast are presented for Council's consideration.
The 1991 mill rate for municipal purposes only, has been calculated
as follows:
. . .2
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TR-22-91 Page 2
Municipal Mill Rate 1991 1990 Increase
Proposed Actual
Residential 136 .89 120 . 32 5. 78%
Commercial 161. 05 152 . 14 5. 78%
These calculations are based on the attached capital and current
budgets, with the following adjustments as outlined in the budget
memo: Reduction
Library 100,000
Museums - Clarke 3,000
Handi Transit 10,000
The budget otherwise, with the Library, Museum, and Handi Transit
budgets as proposed would reflect an increase of 7 .2% overall.
The 1991 current budget, which also reflects all the capital
projects, has been addressed at the staff level in such a manner
as to provide a maximum level of service at a maximum efficiency
level with consideration for the tax impact. The 1991 budget year
is particularly difficult in light of the GST impacting inflation
by approximately 2% to result in a true inflation rate close to 6% .
The wage and benefit impact of pay equity legislated adjustments
is also reflected in its entirety in the 1991 operating budget.
The 1991 year also represents a negotiation impact which is built
into the contingency account. A contribution to the current sick
leave reserve in order to aleviate the rapidly growing unfunded
liability is also considered. The balance of the reserve at
December 31, 1990 is $255,000. Staff will be reporting to the
Council regarding this matter at a later date.
2 . Tax Impact Comments
The impact of the 1991 budget is considerably lower in relation to
the previous year's increase. The historical mill rate increases
(which reflect capital and current budget requirements) , and
assessment growth values are as follows:
. . . 3
TR-22-91 Page 3
Mill Rate Increase (%) Assessment Growth (%)
1991 5 .78 6 . 5
1990 7 . 87 12 .5
1989 9 . 97 8 . 0
The current years 's reduction in impact is primarily due to the
assessment growth, of 6 .5%, and the prior year's surplus which was
created for the most part by interest earned on investments which
yielded a greater rate than anticipated through 1990, combined with
a carry over of partial surplus from the previous year. The Public
Works, Community Services, Fire Department and Library have again
proposed fairly significant draws on the lot levy Reserve Funds to
keep the capital impact on the tax levy at a reasonable level and
to maintain the current level of service to the taxpayer. The
proposed contributions and appropriations to these funds are
presented along with anticipated balances in the executive summary
which accompanied the Budget documents . It is anticipated that
there will be ample funding to provide for the four year forecasted
capital requirements and adjustments will be reflected as necessary
as the year becomes current.
3 . Capital Protects:
The 1991 budget year will see the initiation of the design stages
of the new Base Line Fire Station and the Courtice Community Centre
as well as the continued extension of park facilities into open
space maintenance and the extension of the building
services/profile program that was initiated in 1989 . The building
services program has drawn on the Lot Levies and it is proposed
that all monies will be replenished as Council directs disposal of
surplus facilities and funds are realized through these sales.
There are also significant road reconstruction projects planned and
detailed in the 1991 capital budget. These are just some of the
items reflected in detail in the capital budget for 1991.
. . .4
TR-22-91 Page 4
4 . Operations Programs:
4 . 1:
The Clerk's Department will be completing the process of records
retention as it relates to "Freedom of Information" as dealt with
in recent legislation. The introduction of a municipal code
manual, and computer software, which co-ordinates all municipal by-
laws and related legislation is planned for 1991. The central
dispatch which co-ordinates all Town requirements will see its
first full year of operation and will recognize '9 11, effective May
1, 1991. In addition there will be a streamlined effort exerted
to market the excellent community services programs available to
the public .
4 .2 :
At the completion of the pay equity process in 1991 Council
directed that some consideration be given to an "Employment Equity"
review. Recognizing this enormous task, it is proposed that the
process might be initiated in 1991 with progress reports to Council
as to the status throughout the year. The Town is now into it's
third full year of annual debenture charges associated with the two
major projects, the Arena and the Administrative Centre. The total
related debt charges approximate $188,000 for principal and
$559,000 for interest, to total $747,000 . These charges will be
completed in the year 2003, and are approximately the same total
charge each year.
4 .3:
The budgeted surplus has been calculated prior to the year end
Audit and it is therefore recommended that if there is an
adjustment to the calculated surplus, the difference be transferred
into, or from, the Working Funds Reserve. It is appropriate under
the Municipal Act to transfer funds from this reserve as required
to meet operating costs once the year end requirements have been
met and it would ensure the budgeted surplus is not interrupted.
. . .5
TR-22-91 Page 5
The budget as it is presented reflects contributions from
Reserve and Reserve Funds which have been inactive for years and
are recommended to be closed out and the appropriate by-laws
rescinded. These accounts are as follows :
Expropriation Proceeds Reserve Fund 416
Enniskillen Fire Station Reserve Fund 339
Roads Capital Reserve Fund (approx. ) 20,200
Municipal Grants Policy Reserve 2,220
5. Garbage Charges:
The garbage will continue to be collected on a contracted basis
which will be accommodated as a "flat rate" charge through the tax
bill as in the prior two years . The calculated value for the 1991
garbage collection fee is $114 . 00 . This value represents a 3%
decrease from the prior year which has been accomplished by the
application of the prior year's regional rebate in the amount of
$ 1 million (approx. ) to the disposal and recycling portion of the
budgeted contract value.
The flat rate garbage charge includes collection, which is a
Municipal charge, as well as recycling and disposal tipping fees
which are Regional charges. The budget is again assuming no rebate
for the current year from the tipping fees as there is no certainty
of the receipt or the amount until well into the year.
There is no application of funds from the Garbage Reserve proposed
for the 1991 flat rate charge. The current budget draft identifies
a transfer identical to the prior year based on calculation which
were not finalized prior to printing the draft. The balance in
this reserve at December 31, 1990 was $808,300, of which $780,000
represents the prior year's municipal contribution and does not
relate to any rebates received to date from the Region. As
identified in the executive summary, of the balance in the reserve
there is committed from the prior year toward garbage related
. . . 6
TR-22-91 Page 6
issues, (consultant and legal fees) of approximately $60, 000 by
Council Resolution, and proposed in the 1991 budget a further
$100,000. This process is consistent with the prior year's
practice. The remaining balance in the Garbage Reserve for future
drawdown against the municipal portion of the garbage contract
charges would be $708,300 as identified in the executive summary.
6 . Conclusion:
In conclusion, the philosophical approach to the 1991 budget
presentation has been to provide a comprehensive package that will
provide maximum benefit and maintain the level of services to the
public through comparatively minimal impact.
It is respectively recommended that the 1991 capital and current
budgets be approved in their entirety, and that the four year
forecast be endorsed in principle.
Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation
to the Committee,
Marie A. Marano, H.BSc. , Lawre E. Kotseff,
Treasurer. Chief Administrative Officer.
MAM/PP
ATTACH:
1991 BUDGET COST ANALYSIS SCHEDULE "A"
Total Costs - Municipal Purposes
1991 BUDGET 1990 COMPARATIVE
(Proposed) % of Total
CAPITAL 6,343,195 23.5 8,178,500 30.8
DEBT CHARGES 895,000 3.3 895,399 3.4
OPERATIONS (Incl.Garbage) 18,264,083 67.7 16,031,273 60.3
----------- ----- ----------- -----
Sub Total 25,502,278 94.6 25,105,172 94.4
LIBRARY Capital 771,263 2.9 573,400 2.2
Operations 426,750 1.6 654,732 2.5
GRANTS-others(incl.Museums) 270,744 1.0 260,328 1.0
----------- ---- ----------- ----
26,971,035 100 26,593,632 100
* Values exclude BIA's & St.Lights
whcih are separately millrated
1991/90 Budget Cost Cora ariori '
Total Costs — Municipal Purposes
2D
18 :..................................... .............................................................. 1991
16 .................................... ...................------.............----------
199D
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Capital Operations Lib. Oper.
Debt LLib, Cap. Grants
Catagory