As this phase of the budget deliberations wrap up, council looks to make key decisions on Monday. File Photo/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder

Medicine Hat council votes Monday on approved projects after deliberation phase

Jul 12, 2024 | 4:17 PM

From funding for towne square to weather stations to a composting facility, Medicine Hat city council spent some eight hours over two meetings asking questions and deliberating the dozens of major projects recommended by staff for the next two-year budget.

The eight councillors and mayor will decide Monday on what to approve.

The proposed $36-million capital and $10-million operating budgets would result in a 5.1 per cent tax increase, adding $133 per year to the median bill for a home valued at $315,000.

Staff said 2.3 per cent of that increase is due to inflation, 2.2 per cent due to new projects and the rest for budget gap coverage with the aim of reaching a balanced budget by 2026. Those numbers could all change depending on the final budget.

Among the 55 proposed “New Growth Opportunities” funded by the 2025-26 capital and operating budgets are $9.5 million for a food waste facility, $6.3 million for the twinning of a water line and $4.9 million for a Brier Park gravity bypass for the sewer system.

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Other projects include $468,000 in capital funding for cyber security upgrades, $1.5 million for landfill upgrades and over $2.5 million for water main replacement and upgrades, among other capital and operating budget expenses.

Other projects among a total list of some 80 proposals that were not recommended include money for the HALO Air Ambulance and utility relief.

Council was introduced to the major project list at its June 25 committee-of-the-whole budget meeting. A follow up on July 9 allowed for council to deliberate the items in a vote to confirm the list during its July 15 regular public meeting.

Supervising accountant of budget and systems Aaron Hoimyr, who is leading council through the budget process this year, said this time of early deliberation and, ultimately, decision-making, is a crucial part of the journey to a budget.

“This is a section of our budget development pathway that allows council and administration to realy talk about what I think are some of the most important components of a budget,” Hoimyr told CHAT News this week.

“It’s a really good opportunity for council to have that opportunity to say what is our strategic vision and really form that into pen and paper. This is how we’re forming our budget story.”

This year’s budget process is significantly more transparent.

In the past, many budget meetings were done out of sight in closed meetings, giving members of council more freedom in their questions without public scrutiny, but also leaving residents out of the early stages of the budget process.

“That’s the focus of these meetings; is to have that conversation about the things that Hatters care about and for residents to know where their money is going,” Hoimyr said.

During the meeting on Tuesday, the focus of council was largely on the facility that would upgrade the city’s composting ability that staff say would save taxpayer dollars in the long run.

Included among the $9.5 million project includes a $2-million water line made necessary by new regulations.

Councillors spent time asking about alternatives, such as suggesting the idea of giving away the organic waste to livestock producers, but staff said those concepts were ruled out for their impracticality.

The multi-million-dollar composting facility would generate revenue, extend the longevity of the landfill and is less costly than other approaches, according to staff.

Council also deliberated on towne square and police investments by the city included among the recommended items.

While council will choose what makes the list of approved projects on Monday, it can later decide to remove or add items anytime before budget approval late this year.

After Monday, council won’t have any specific budget deliberations until October but there could be items that pop up on regular agendas that will impact the next budget, Hoimyr explained.

The city’s Shape Your City page has full details on the entirety of the budget.