TISDALE — Tisdale council has passed their annual budget with a zero per cent increase to property taxes.
Al Jellicoe, Tisdale’s mayor, said because there’s more occupied business and residential properties in the community, the town has generated more tax revenue. The town also received some grants.
The budget includes $3.5 million for a sewer infrastructure renewal project.
“It’s going to start this year. That’s the new sewer lift station, new pipe out to the lagoon and a new lagoon,” Jellicoe said.
The town received funding for the project through the New Building Canada Small Community Fund in 2018. The municipality is responsible for one-third of the cost of the project, while the federal government pays a third and the provincial government pays another third.
Jellicoe said the project is important so the town can expand. The current sewage lift station is at capacity and doesn’t have room for additional sewage from new businesses and residential development.
There is $1.6 million in the budget for subdivision development.
“We’re adding another lift station and some sewer and water lines out in the subdivision west and building some roads,” said Brad Hvidston, the town’s administrator. “It’s just important to continue our growth. We’re running out of room so we need to expand our infrastructure so we can continue to grow.”
The town allocated $570,000 in new paving.
The planned streets to be paved this year include a block of 102nd Avenue, a block of 104th Avenue by MacKay Tower, 99th Avenue by the town office, and a part of Newmarket Drive.
“The first four had sewer and water lines were replaced so there is no pavement. Newmarket Drive is to resurface it so it doesn’t deteriorate and cost more,” Jellicoe said.
For water line replacement, the town allocated $150,000 in the budget. This is to cover three water lines, which is standard number the town replaces per year.
Hvidston said the town has gone from having 20 to 25 water breaks per year 20 years ago to having only one this year.
“When you look at the communities around us that don’t replace their water lines and are having many water breaks, obviously we’re doing something right.”
