Landmark gets better fire protection, rink, higher taxes as budget approaches $20 million

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This article was published 17/05/2024 (730 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Taxes are up across the board in Tache as operating expenses climbed $1.52 million over last year to $19.91 million this year.

Landmark will be paying the biggest increase but get better Main Street fire protection and an outdoor rink.

A home assessed at $400,000 in Landmark will see a $109 increase in their municipal tax bill. Lorette and rural residents will see about $90 increases at the same assessment.

Those tax increases were tempered by assessment increases coming from growth in the community. As finance officer Cheryl Harder explained during the sparsely attended financial plan hearing Tuesday night, municipal taxes collected went up 7.9 percent to $9.67 million, but the average tax bill is only going up 4.8 percent thanks to those new property builds paying new tax bills. The rest of the revenue is from other sources like provincial and federal grants, or reserve spending.

The biggest item on the capital budget list by far was the Tache Community Centre at over $29 million with $6 million to be borrowed over 25 years. But there were other pricey items that brought the total capital spending this year to $36.18 million.

Second place on the capital cost list goes to the solid waste management $1.2-million clean site project. But that depended on a 90 percent grant being approved, and Harder said it looks unlikely to happen this year.

More people in Lorette drink more water. The next in capital cost is the $1.09-million being split 50-50 by a Manitoba Water Services Board grant and LUD of Lorette reserves for the water treatment plant reservoir upgrade. The reservoir expansion’s total cost was $3.73 million, with this last amount meant to complete the project this year.

Landmark fire protection and rink

Landmark gets the next biggest capital project. This one will make the community safer with a $900,000 water main extension on Main Street. It will be paid for with reserves and the Canada Community building Fund (formerly called gas tax).

“That’s to complete the servicing in a section that is missing and to also provide fire protection along that stretch,” explained Harder.

The community came together to build a $250,000 outdoor rink. Most of the cost is expected to come from donations, with only $50,000 coming from the LUD reserve.

“They’re apparently well on their way from receiving substantial donations from partners that want to see this happen. They’ve already fundraised quite a lot of that $200,000,” said Harder.

Landmark is also getting $106,000 worth of pathway construction from Flatland to Centre Avenue West. Landmark East Park gets $20,000 in lighting.

Lorette projects

The community centre and water treatment plant reservoir are not the only things going on for Lorette in this budget.

Land has been bought so a Station Road sidewalk can be built at a total cost of $250,000.

Drainage will take water away from Carson Park Drive to the riverat a phase one cost of $353,000.

“This project was pushed up because not only will it help Carson Park Drive, but by doing it now it is going to benefit the construction site for the new complex,” explained Harder.

The LUD of Lorette is paying most, with $75,000 coming from the at large reserve because of the benefit to the Tache Community Complex.

For road work in Lorette, St. Amant Avenue gets $73,000, the Provincial Road 207 median gets $60,000, and Marcoux Avenue gets $115,000 for widening.

Rural area

Ste Genevieve Community Centre is getting a $30,000 septic upgrade.

The rest of the rural area capital budget’s presentation focused on basic infrastructure and equipment: $254,800 tractor trade-in, $214,000 54N drainage, $105,000 on 32E bridge repairs, and a $100,000 53N road upgrade.

An 80 percent grant was applied for to rehabilitate Poirier Road Bridge, but Harder said it did not look likely to succeed this year.

A study on a Tache/Ritchot boundary realignment is also in the works, with another $26,000 to be spent on studying the idea.