BARRHEAD - Town of Barrhead councillors approved the landfill's 2024 operational and capital budgets, three-year operations, and 10-year capital plans during their Nov. 14 meeting.
The landfill's 2024 proposed operational budget has been pegged at $328,930, with each municipality contributing $103,440. The landfill expects to raise the remaining funds through user tipping fees and the revenue generated by its recycling program.
The 2024 landfill capital budget is set at $75,000, with equal $75,000 grants from the municipalities.
Compared to the 2023 budget, the 2024 version has increased by $18,400 or 21.6 per cent, while the capital budget has decreased substantially from last year's $332,500. The difference is that 2023 saw the landfill purchase a loader.
As the Barrhead Regional Landfill is a jointly operated and funded facility between the Barrhead municipalities, the county must also approve the documents, which are expected to be completed within the next month.
Corporate services director Jennifer Mantay said the joint town and county landfill committee vetted the budget during their Oct. 24 meeting.
She also noted that the landfill committee has included a $5 tipping fee increase per load as part of the budget, adding it was last increased in 2022.
Mantay added that the committee also hopes to increase staffing levels.
Currently, the landfill has one dedicated full-time staff member and a part-time position that only works nine months of the year. For 2024, the budget includes funds for two full-time positions.
She also noted that the 2024 capital includes $50,000 for "a non-compliance piece."
"That is one of the reasons why [the landfill committee] wants a second full-time position because one of the [provincial government requirements] is that we need to bury the garbage at the landfill more often than what we have been doing," Mantay said. "One person will be in the machine burying items, while one person will be in the trailer dealing with the public."
Coun. Rod Klumph, council's rep on the landfill committee, added that while not presently included in the 10-year capital plan, the committee is contemplating purchasing a scale for the landfill.
"Administration is still looking into the costs, but when we have those figures, next year we will probably be revising the 10-year capital plan," he said.
Twinning committee
Councillors also approved the twinning committee's 2024 budget of $9,800, with the town and county each contributing $4,900. In a separate motion, councillors also approved the committee's three-year operational plan. Last year, the twinning budget was $7,800.
Like the Barrhead Regional Landfill, the twinning committee is a shared responsibility between the town and county.
Klumph said the reason for the increase, besides inflationary pressure, is that the community is expecting two delegations from Japan in 2024, adding they usually welcome only one annually.
Barrhead is twinned with three communities: Drouin, Australia; Chapala, Mexico; and Kitami City, Japan.
