Estimates indicate that the new municipal centre in Boyle will cost more than expected.
The estimated cost jumped to $4.5 million from the original $2.5 million.
At the village’s council meeting last Wednesday, council was told the cost increase was due to a 2,000 square foot increase in the building floor plan.
To cover the costs, council plans to raise the amount it could borrow for the project by more than $500,000, to $3.9 million.
To do so requires that a new borrowing bylaw be passed, due to Alberta Capital Financial Authority (ACFA) rules that only allow municipalities to borrow up to, but not more than the amount stated in an approved borrowing bylaw.
Under the section 258 of the Municipal Government Act, a bylaw must be passed before money can be borrowed for a capital project.
Residents are allowed to petition the bylaw starting Mar, 13 until the end of the month.
Residents are also invited to an open house set for Apr. 8 from 7-9 p.m. at the Boyle Community Centre to learn more about the bylaw and the project.
The bylaw will go into effect May 1, pending any legal challenges.
It was noted that $100,000 for furnishings and $50,000 for grading that were included in the original design would likely be cut, thereby reducing the amount the village may need to borrow.
Sewer rates rise
Your money might be going down the toilet the next time you flush.
Effective Apr.1, the current flat rate for sewer usage will switch to a base amount plus a per unit charge.
Boyle village council approved the change at last Wednesday’s council meeting.
The base rate for residences will stay at the same flat rate of $17 per month, but that will only pay for the first 15 cubic metres used – based upon the amount of water consumed. For each additional cubic metre, residents will be charged $1 per cubic metre.
The commercial and institutional base rate will also remain at $19 per month for the first 15m3, but will also see $1 charged per cubic metre above the limit.
Boyle chief administrative officer Charlie Ashbey assured council that most residents won’t be impacted at all. Some residents might even see a savings on their next bill.
“Some will be lower because their consumption isn’t high and they were overpaying on the flat rate,” he said.
The change targets the extremely high consumers of water and sewage.
Under current flat rate, the largest user in the area is paying $3,000 annually, he said.
With the change, that same user would be paying $10,000 a year, although less than the $12,000 per year they would pay if they were in Athabasca.
Ashbey added that those who are renting might feel the pinch.
“The people that are renting out to pipeliners, for instance, [who] are using big cubes (volumes) are going to pay more than they should.”
Council will track changes over the next year.
Recycling might change
A change in recycling pick-up and costs may be in the future for Boyle residents.
The village’s current recycling pick-up company proposed a 12-per-cent reduction in cost – to $6.60 a month per household – if the village continued with the biweekly pickup.
A second option would increase pickup to a weekly basis for a total of $9.75 a month per household.
The schedule for weekly pick up would fall on the same day as regular garbage pick up. Council has not made a decision on whether to change contractors or choose one of the options made available.
Pilot project
Council received a timeline Mar. 2 from Urban Systems for the kick off of the Asset Management Pilot Project.
Urban Systems is set to arrive in Boyle in the first or second week of April to develop for the village a systematic process of deploying, operating, maintaining, upgrading and disposing of assets.
Work from engineers has already begun.
Urban Systems is aiming to wrap up the project and present it to the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) in September.
New development
The cost of land has posed some challenges moving forward with developing the village’s highway footprint in its current position.
Council will be speaking with Alberta Transportation in the near future about the current plan as one developer is eager to start construction before the twinning of Highway 63 begins. However, there is no definitive timeline for when that will occur.
Engineers have designed the footprint and it will be finalized by council in the coming weeks.
Sidewalks
The village’s complaint process and a recent door-knocking campaign has proven successful in getting troublesome sidewalks cleared.
Council stated the overall response was positive after the sidewalks on a few streets were targeted due to a few complaints last month.
Arena to close
The Boyle Arena will offer free public skating until this Thursday and is slated to have the ice removed next Monday.
New funding
Council will be submitting an application to the provincial government’s Small Communities Fund to upgrade the sewer system with a new macerator, which would improve employee safety.
The SCF supports projects in communities with a population under 100,000 that promote economic growth, job creation and productivity.
A total of $188 million will be distributed in the province, split equally between the federal and provincial governments over a 10-year time frame. The deadline to apply is Apr. 2.
