County exploring options for 2023 operating budget

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

County Council discussed the unapproved 2023 interim capital and operating budget during the Dec. 6 regular meeting, for which an update was brought forward by administration. 

The summary of 2023 capital budget changes, which was attached to the county’s agenda and is available to the public, shows a table outlining itemized changes to the budget, as well as the reasoning for such adjustments.

The total package of all capital projects for 2023 brought forward to council on Nov. 15 equated to approximately $25.5 million. All noted adjustments which were presented at the Dec. 6 meeting caused an adjustment to the total, bringing it to an approximate $25.3 million. 

Administration recommended several different paths forward for county council to choose from to approve as the final 2023 capital plan. Each of the presented scenarios assume the 2022 Carry Forward items as being approved for continuation or completion in 2023.

The first scenario is described as the simplest and most straightforward process by administration, and suggests approving the full package of projects proposed to the county to begin or see continuation and completion in 2023. This includes an approximate $21.9 million for the 2023 budget, as well as nearly $3.4 million for 2022 Carry Forward items. 

The second scenario suggested approving ongoing 2022 projects, as well as those indicated as critical priority for the county in 2023. The total budget for this scenario would equate to approximately $17.7 million. 

The caveat to this suggestion would be the delay of preliminary engineering and planning for a host of future slated high priority projects. This would include a number of road projects, for example.

Scenario 3 would only eliminate medium priority projects from the budget and leave all others as approved. This would eliminate roughly $2 million from the budget plan.

The last proposed scenario was described as being identical to Scenario 3, other than including an amendment to defer two specific project to a future year. These included paving projects for Range Roads 264 and 243, for $1.7 million and $2.4 million respectively, to reduce the county’s budget by roughly $4 million.

Concerns raised during the county’s discussion of the budget included a lack of use of roughly 20 per cent of the 2022 operating budget, which was attributed to unavailability of building material. 

Councillors voted to direct administration to continue exploring the first and fourth scenarios, and return to council with more information at a future meeting.

The proposed interim budget and approved county projects are available for public viewing via the county website.