Tantramar councillors will meet this Thursday to consider a series of motions approving the operating and capital budgets for the municipality in 2025.
Last Thursday, council met to hear treasurer Michael Beal explain the plan to spend roughly $1.75 million dollars on variety of items next year, while also socking away another $250,000 for future major projects.
Beal pointed out that the budget only covers about 40% of what Tantramar staff had identified as necessary work next year:
“In our capital request from managers in 2025 we had $4.965 million in requests,” said Beal. The municipality’s asset management plan is still under development, but Beal said “that number could be $5 million, or could be higher, in order to retrofit all of our assets within a time period of their useful life.”
The roughly $3 million shortfall between the amount needed to maintain municipal infrastructure and the amount available in the capital budget is not unique to Tantramar.
In September, Mount Allison economics professor Craig Brett released a report estimating that the infrastructure shortfall throughout the province could require more than $100 million dollars per year in investment, in order to start to catch up.
Roads feature prominently in capital spending
The lion’s share of the proposed 2025 capital budget will go to transportation-related projects in Sackville and Dorchester, with a new 5-ton snow plow costing $450,000, the resurfacing of a portion of King Street costing $270,000, and storm upgrades on Walker Road costing $100,000.
The public works department is also proposing a new electric vehicle to add to its fleet for a budgeted $75,000.
About $200,000 will also go to fire departments, to keep replacing bunker gear and breathing apparatus.
Over in the Active Living department, just over $200,000 will go towards various projects in the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre. Smaller projects are also on the list, including a little league field building, the replacement of playground equipment in Bill Johnstone park, and a fenced in dog park.
Dog park proposed for Dufferin Street
The $35,000 budget allocation for a dog park comes after a presentation in September by a local resident making the case for a fenced-in dog park in downtown Sackville.
On Thursday, Active Living director Matt Pryde responded to a question from councillor Bruce Phinney to say that staff were considering the former BMX park on Dufferin Street as a potential location for the proposed dog park. “It hasn’t been used for a while,” said Pryde. “This past summer, it wasn’t maintained at all, and there’s been no comments or questions about it.”
Phinney also asked about the oft-discussed plan to build a concrete skate park in Sackville. Beal said it was still on the future major projects wish list, where it’s sat for years.
Back in 2021, Phinney was one of the councillors who killed a plan to commission a $12,500 study from Newline Skateparks to look at the options and feasibility for a new skate park. Councillors Matt Estabrooks and Michael Tower also voted against the study at the time.
Treasurer Michael Beal pointed out that council will have an opportunity to debate the potential dog park project, along with many others, when they come to council for approval over the course of the year.
“Any projects that are over $10,000, with the exception of facilities and equipment, must come back to council,” said Beal.
Canada Building Fund destined for road work and fire hall
In addition to the $2 million in capital funding allotted from the municipality’s operating revenue, Tantramar has another $3 million to spend over the next five years, allocated from the Canada Community Building Fund, formerly known as the gas tax.
Beal explained the proposed plan is to spend $1 million towards the construction of the new Dorchester Fire Hall, which is still in the concept design phase. The other $2 million would go towards streets or water & sewer infrastructure, and those proposed projects will be presented to council on Thursday.
The Dorchester Fire Hall is Tantramar’s next major capital project, and is currently estimated to cost about $3.5 million.
Tantramar council meets on Thursday at 1pm for a special meeting to consider motions to approve the proposed 2025 budgets.
