Chestermere City council held their third budget deliberations meeting November 13th.
The meeting opened with good news from city staff who were able to reduce the proposed 2019 tax rate by a further 0.2 per cent.
This was done by finding a reduction in the city’s contracted services leading to a proposed decrease of two per cent for the 2019 municipal taxes.
“We have asked…departments to tighten their belt and we’ve cut back in areas recognizing that we’re not in a healthy economy right now,” said Chestermere’s Mayor Marshall Chalmers.
After city administration’s presentation on the changes to the proposed budget, discussion focused on the Chestermere Public Library’s request for increased funding in the 2019 budget.
“The Library is an integral part of the city, I do get contacted by a number of residents saying great things about the library itself,” said Councillor Narayan.
Originally, the library had requested a funding increase of close to $300,000 but after council refused that increase at the Nov. 5 budget meeting a revised request of $107,000 was brought forward.
The requested funds would be used by the library for new programming, library operations, to increase staff salaries to be closer to the provincial average, provide free library cards, and increase the Library’s hours of operation.
The desire to see the Library’s staff’s wages increased was the foremost concern.
Currently the Chestermere Public Library pays $6/hour less than other comparable libraries.
“I do want our people to be paid fairly,” said Chalmers.
While council recognized that the library is an important and vital part of Chestermere, they struggled with increasing the Library’s funding when the rest of the city’s departments were finding reductions and savings in their budgets.
“I really like the library,” said Councillor Bold, “when times are a little rough here you need to be creative.”
Chestermere’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Bernie Morton came up with that creative solution.
Morton proposed that rather than council approve an increase in funding that the Library use its Stabilization Account to fund the increase.
With the library using its savings to cover the $107,000 funding increase, Morton said he would then work with the Library to find savings and efficiencies that would allow the library to refill the savings account.
“We want the services to be delivered,” said Morton, “when times are tough the library is one of those resources that is used by our most vulnerable population.”
“And it is a beacon of the community, a healthy library speaks to a healthy community,” he said.
The proposed action would have no effect on the proposed tax decrease of 2 per cent.
While council supported the idea, they have no authority to tell the library how to spend its money.
As such, while council can deny the increased funding request, it will be up to the Chestermere Library Board to approve the use of savings funds and to collaborate with Morton to recoup those funds.
With budget deliberations now completed, the budget will be brought forward to a regular meeting of council.
Once officially presented to council in a regular meeting, further feedback from the public can be heard and council can choose to pass the budget as presented or direct city administration to make further changes.
For more information on the City of Chestermere’s proposed 2019 budget or to view the budget presentation go to http://www.chestermere.ca/930/2019-2022-Budget.
