On Wednesday, all members of council attended the first Ad Hoc Budget Committee meeting for the 2025 Budget. The budget deliberations are typically handled in four meetings that include, user fees, wages and salaries, operational expenses, and the capital budget.
In addition to the detailed report in the agenda package, the deputy treasurer delivered a verbal overview of the proposed user fees for 2025. User fees are increasing most typically, in a 3 to 5 per cent range.
User fees include those services and facilities residents use or purchase at a fee, including the use of sports and recreation facilities, public bus service, library, pet tags, and many others. Twelve of the thirteen user fee schedules were approved and are going forward to council.
The library user fees schedule was deferred. During the approximately half-hour debate period, library user fees received a high amount of the committee's attention.
In addtion to an overall deficit, members voiced concern about the cost of a photocopy at 25 cents, and iPad rentals at $5 for 10 days.
"iPads have gone up a lot more than 3 to 5 per cent. I mean, I'm a full believer in the library, but I don't know," Councillor Charles Flintoff commented.
Committee members also expressed an interest to see the 3 to 5 per cent applied across the board. An increase of 5 per cent would bring the cost of a 25 cent photocopy to 26 cents.
Commenting about fees, costs and deficit, committee chair, Councillor Norman Mann said, "I think it's a good discussion to have. It is also funded by the residents of the community as well as other programs that are offered and trying to keep pace with expenses."
Mann added, "I know that when we talk about pet tags, for example, in the past we have had presentations from members of the community that come forward and suggest that trying to subsidize that for people that have limited incomes is reasonable."
User fee schedules include some fee exemptions. One notable example is the airport landing fees of $0.00 for aircraft up to 1199KG. That allows owners of light recreational small aircraft to use the municipal airport at no cost.
Mann expects the library user fee schedule is likely to come directly to a December council meeting.
That timing would allow it to be reviewed and if approved, the new fees could begin January 1, along with other fees, except arena user fees that are phased in in two stages, the second beginning July 1.