by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION — The proposed water and wastewater budgets received final approval from Whitewater Region council at its meeting last night, but the public will have an opportunity to discuss them at a public meeting to be held prior to the council meeting on March 6.
The budget for this year’s Haley water is $58,043.00; Cobden water is $495,404 and Beachburg is $428,060. The Cobden wastewater budget is $505,542.
There is no increase in the Haley water rates, noted treasurer Sean Crozier. Beachburg users will see a 6.62 percent increase to water rates while Cobden users will see a 2.94 percent increase. The sewer rates for Cobden will increase 9.03 percent.
The Beachburg residential and small commercial water rates will increase to $61.26 a month from $57.45. The medium commercial water rates increase to $91.89 from $86.18; high commercial increases to $122.52 from $114.91 and the multi-residential increases to $49 from $45.96.
In Cobden, the water residential and small commercial rates increase to $61.26 from $59.51; the medium commercial increases to $91.89 from $89.26; the high commercial increases to $122.52 from $119.02 and the multi-residential to $49 from $47.61.
The wastewater residential and small commercial rates in Cobden will increase to $76.76 from $70.40. The medium commercial increases to $115.14 from $105.61; the high commercial rate increases to $153.52 from $140.81 and the multi-residential increases to $61.41 from $56.32.
In reviewing the reserves, it was noted there should be $123,759.98 for all the water at year’s end while the wastewater should have $187,511.71, Mr. Crozier said.
For Cobden and Beachburg, the final reserves are based on the capital requirements, noted Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay.
Cobden will end with less than $5,000 in reserves, while Beachburg and Haley remain healthy, $91,042 and $28,287, respectively.
There is unfunded capital work being done in Cobden, and the money will have to found next year, he said.
“We’ll have to make sure we deal with the capital items in Cobden that are unfunded and try to get the reserves up,” he said.
While increases aren’t great, it’s important to ensure they are affordable and there is money to deal with the aging infrastructure, he added.
With a better understanding of infrastructure and capital requirements, there shouldn’t be many surprises, CAO Tremblay said in response to a question.
Councillor Chris Olmstead said it’s crucial for the township that one member go to each municipal conference to discuss the financial issues regarding the wastewater plant.
“We have to get in front of them (provincial ministers) to make our case for the Cobden sewer plant,” he said. “We have over $6 million in unfunded money. We can’t put the users on the hook.”
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin questioned if there shouldn’t be a small increase to the Haley water users, which is something Councillor Charlene Jackson brought forward when this budget was last discussed, but couldn’t be at this meeting to discuss.
CAO Tremblay said there’s no decrease or increase, but there will be more money coming in, which will go into reserves. There was to be a decrease, but instead, staff flat-lined it, he explained.
This does not mean there won’t be a rate increase in the future, he said. There is a fee review being conducted, and once that is completed, then future increases will be based on that.
