The Public Hearing for the City’s 2010 Financial Plan will be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 6:30pm at City Hall, Council Chambers, 225 Reimer Avenue. All Steinbach citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting.
“The Public Hearing is a great opportunity for the public to not only educate themselves on what the City’s planned projects and programs are for the coming year, but also to ask questions of or to provide comments to City Council regarding the City’s plans,” said Corporate Services Manager, Troy Warkentin.
Significant directives for 2010 include a decrease in the municipal tax rate to 14.76 mills, as well as the addition of one RCMP Constable later in 2010. An increase in water and sewer rates of approximately 3.5% will occur on July 1, 2010. This rate increase will help the City to keep pace with inflation and rising costs of the utility and translates to about $1 per month added to the average residential utility bill. The Public Utilities Board approved the increase last year.
2010 Capital Program Projects include the Wastewater Lagoon Expansion ($10.5 million); the Jake Epp Library Expansion ($2.85 million); and the Steinbach Landfill Expansion ($2.8 million).
Last year, the City’s Capital Program cost $6.4 million. For 2010, the Capital Projects are estimated to cost $15.6 million. Funding in the amount of $7.0 million has been approved by the Canada-MB Infrastructure Program to offset the significant cost of the Wastewater Lagoon Expansion.
Projects completed in 2009 included Autumnwood neighbourhood resurfacing ($406,000); Steinbach Soccer Park parking lot ($408,000); and Industrial Road/Acres Drive concrete surfacing ($3.0 million). Additionally, 1.9 kilometres of roadway were added and permits for 127 dwelling units were issued.
