Council to review fee and water consumption increases
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/12/2023 (630 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon City Council will examine several proposed annual fee increases on city provided services during their regular council meeting Monday evening, and a number of upcoming budget items.
Council is set to meet at city hall this evening at 7 p.m. The councillors will review the annual increase of fees in the areas of sanitation, public works, recreation services, the Sportsplex, cemetery, airport, planning and building, development charges, emergency services, finance, public safety communications, legislative services and facility rentals.
If approved by council, many fees will see increases between 1.3 per cent, and five per cent on select services like commercial refuse collection, pool rentals at the Sportsplex and up to a 20 per cent increase on golf cart storage. Other city services will see a dollar increase. Parking metre fees are proposed to double in 2024, from 50 cents per hour to one dollar per hour.
Continuing with preparing for annual budget deliberations, the council will also review the interim operating budget for 2024 and the City of Brandon Borrowing authorization.
The council will receive the annual Emergency Plan review and Sustainability Plan Report. They will vote on purchasing three new police trucks from Kelleher Ford at a total cost of $225,069.16, with additional costs of upfitting all three trucks for a total of $66,669.15.
The council will look at Public Utility Board of Manitoba application to address the 2022 Utility Operating Deficit of $1,387,450. Administration proposes the deficit be paid with a temporary additional charge of $0.033/cubic meter of water consumption for the period of six and a half years, effective April 1, 2024.
In relation to the proposed increase in water consumption, Coun. Bruce Luebke wants the city to investigate a water affordability program and consult with customers, stakeholders, non-profit organizations, and others about creating targeted programs to alleviate the financial hardship faced by the utility’s customers. Luebke wants council to approve that the administration team research and conduct consultations to determine opportunities for a water affordability program. Luebke says in his report there are other cities in Canada that run such programs and suggests any approved water affordability program be implemented by Jan. 1, 2025.
» khenderson@brandonsun.com