County unveils 2015 budget

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

Wheatland County approved the five-year budget that will go from 2015 and run through to 2019.
There is $51,314,167 that will go towards major capital projects in 2015, such as the Gleichen Water Supply ($5 million), Rosebud Wastewater Field ($1.6 million) and a road-grading project ($3,589,500).
“It’s basically the same as last year, the only thing is that we have is a lot more capital projects this year,” said Alan Parkin, Wheatland County’s Chief Administrative Officer. “We’re doing quite a bit of work with Rosebud and the water treatment plant in Gleichen, those are the two big projects.
“We wouldn’t typically have those, there hasn’t been any upgrades on those for 30 years, those are one off projects that we do,” said Parkin.
He added that’s why there is a huge increase in the capital budget.
Also included in the budget is the transfer of restricted reserve funding for extraordinary ($1,798,174) and capital ($25,549,756) projects.
The total amount grant funding saw an increase of $2,440, 561 over a year ago and now sits at $9,955,402.
$243,059 of the new sum will be used towards Ag Service Board and Environmental programming.
The increase in grant funding will help offset the increase in property taxes while maintaining a high level of service.
The break down is as follows:
• Transfers to reserves: $12, 638,301
• Amortization of Assets: $12,504,400
• Requisitions for others: $10,472,264
• Regular operating expenditures $9,960,646
• Special Projects: $3,957,756
• Transfers to capital: $1,780,800