Town Council Presents Budget Focused on Infrastructure

The Town of Neepawa presented its 2022 financial plan at a special public hearing prior to the bimonthly town council meeting. Until it passes a second and third reading at their next regular meeting, the plan is still a proposal. Jamie Davie, CFO for the town of Neepawa, guides us through the key points of the plan and budget and demonstrates how taxpayers will be affected by this year’s changes.

Davie reviews projects completed by the town in 2021 as well as projects that are currently underway, including the new RCMP headquarters, reservoir, and numerous paving projects. She also explains clearly the formula of how the mill rate is established, and how the town determines how much tax revenue is required to balance its budget.

The 2022 budgeted revenue is approximately $17 million, of which 28.7% will come from taxes with the rest a combination of government transfers, transfers from reserve, and a few other minor sources. Of the budgeted expenditures, the largest portions by far are for fiscal services and transportation services. The transportation services portion is unusually high as that is where the repairs for 2020’s flood damage are being recorded.

As part of the budget presentation, the town also announced its community grants for 2022, which ranged from $100,000 to the Yellowhead Centre, Neepawa’s arena and community hall, to $500 to the Horticultural Society. NACTV will be receiving $2000 towards equipment replacements, for which the town receives up to an equivalent amount in advertising or community announcements on the station. Total grants were approximately $163,000.

The only public response at the hearing came from Neepawa Banner and Press Editor and NACTV Manager Ken Waddell, who noted some perceived deterioration in snow removal services compared to past years and indicated that the town’s investment in recreation lags behind many other communities. He also gave some historical context for some of the past recreation decisions.

While this is the first tax increase since 2019, the impact on residents looks to be minimal. The increase of approximately 1.57% would, on a property valued at $300,000, amount to about an additional $45.