Tantramar treasurer Michael Beal presented the town’s proposed 2024 capital budget to council on Monday, recommending $1,515,000 in capital project spending, with another $200,000 put away in reserve. If approved, the total $1.715 million would come from the town’s operating budget, and none would be borrowed.
The proposed capital budget will go before council on Tuesday, along with a $16.7 million operating budget for the town, a $2.7 million utility operating budget, and a $550,000 capital utility budget.
Nearly 50% of the proposed capital budget ($727,000) would be spent by the public works department, on storm sewers, sidewalks, and the purchase of a new loader expected to cost about $410,000. Another $120,000 is set aside to pay a Tantramar share of provincial department of transportation and infrastructure (DTI) funded projects, which may or may not happen, said treasurer Michael Beal. If applications for DTI projects are not successful, then the $120,000 would be reallocated to cover budget overruns or previously delayed project.
The Active Living and Culture department is planning to spend $272,000 on capital projects, including $40,000 for development of a low impact trail in the Pickard Quarry, which the town acquired last year as part of the Lorne Street Stormwater Mitigation Project. There’s also $25,000 for a parking lot on Walker Road near the head of the Tantramar Outdoor Club trails, and another $25,000 for trails in general.
A new Civic Centre compressor, baseball field lights, and improvements for Beech Hill park are also included in the budget. The Beech Hill improvements include work on the well house which will hopefully restore potable water to the park, said Active Living director Matt Pryde.
Another $271,000 will go for capital purchases for the Public Safety department, which includes by-law enforcement and three fire departments. The largest share of that funding, $140,000, is going to purchasing and replacing Self Contained Breathing Apparatus for Dorchester and Sackville fire departments. There’s also $95,000 to go towards an enclosed trailer which can be used as a portable Emergency Measures Organization command.
Corporate and Community Services has a budget of $95,000 to go towards a new website ($70k) and signage ($25k) for the new municipality. Beal explained that while the province could help cover these costs under its amalgamation transition funding, the projects would likely not be complete in time to qualify for the current funding. “These are two things that can’t be done until the branding is done,” Beal told council. “So whether we would be able to meet the March 31 deadline for that, it is unlikely.”
Finally, the capital budget includes $150,000 to go towards preliminary work for a new fire hall and municipal office in Dorchester. The existing Dorchester village office has been closed since mid-February, after testing indicated the presence of mould in the building. After the meeting Monday, CAO Jennifer Borne said she couldn’t say whether the plan for the municipal office included the current building.
“There would be nothing that we could discuss at this point or comment on,” said Borne, “but certainly after the meeting on Tuesday evening, we’ll have more information.”
As for the fire hall project, the village of Dorchester had been planning for a new building long before amalgamation. Borne said land and a building on Cape Road was purchased in January 2021. “So [we’re] looking forward to future development of that area for the fire department,” said Borne.
Beal said the $150,000 allocation would go towards “the initial concept plus the beginning of the architectural design so that we could proceed with a construction in the near future… So there’ll be recommendations strictly relating to that coming at the next council meeting.”
Beal noted that a few big ticket items were left out of this year’s capital project allocations, including the full cost of a new Dorchester Fire Hall, loosely predicted at $1.5 million, a future multi-purpose building in Sackville to house recreation programming and the Sackville Farmers Market (estimated at $3.6 million in 2021), and Sackville skatepark upgrades, previously estimated at $600,000.
The proposed capital budget will be up for approval along with the complete 2024 budget package by Tantramar council on Tuesday November 14.
