Niverville crunching numbers

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This article was published 27/03/2015 (3310 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Budget plans are coming together in Niverville where town council is working towards a mill rate increase up to 12.384 which combines the municipality’s at large rate with the special services portion.

The $4,083,960 operating budget will be supplemented by $4.5 million from the town’s reserves. Those extra funds will be available to cover unexpected costs of an urgent nature.

“Just in case it’s needed,” said Niverville’s financial officer Dawn Penner. “We don’t always spend it all. If a deal comes up for a piece of equipment that wasn’t in the budget, the money is there and we don’t need to hold a public hearing (to withdraw from the reserves).”

The 2014 operating budget was $3,603,960.

Council is planning to put funds toward administrative software upgrades, Highlands Park, transportation equipment, and resurfacing 1st Street North as well as 3rd Street South.

The budget also includes money for upgrading a fire truck and purchasing protective services equipment such as emergency lighting, rescue tools and turn-out gear.

Recreation and cultural services will get 8.49 percent of the budget. Council plans to expand the parking lot at Hespeler Park and redo the four baseball infields. Funds are also designated for the construction of a splash park at Hespeler.

Business development will see a greater focus on phase one of the Niverville Business Park.

Plans are also focusing on improving sidewalks along Main Street where the paving stone will be replaced with concrete. Council has decided to begin at 5th Avenue and PR 311 corner this summer and work westward over the next few years.

The capital projects for Niverville include a field house, a master plan for sewage lagoon expansion, and expanding potable water to other parts of town including the business district. The fourth item on that list deals with office space to allow additional staff to be hired.

There is no timeline for these capital projects but Mayor Myron Dyck said these are realistic goals that could be achieved within the next few years.

Dyck is optimistic the field house construction could get underway this fall, if everything falls into place. Otherwise, he anticipates it to begin next year.

The 2015 financial plan will be presented to the public on April 7 at 9:10 a.m. in council chambers.