The draft 2021 Operating and Capital Budget were brought back before the Village of Morrin Official Administrator for final approval during the regular council meeting on Wednesday, May 19.
Previously, during the April council meeting, the draft budget and 2020 audited financial statements were brought before the village’s Official Administrator and accepted as information for final approval at a later council meeting.
“The draft budget had a $49,000 deficit because there had been no change in revenues or the approaches as to how to address that deficit and we have now worked closely together to finalize the final budget to be a balanced budget,” Official Administrator Harold Johnsrude said during the meeting.
He noted he is in a unique position of passing and creating a budget and tax rate bylaw without being part of the community.
There were several significant changes to the finalized budget which was presented.
Utilities in the village are “significantly underfunded” according to Johnsrude, and a 10 per cent increase in utility fees will come into effect July 1.
He noted $29,302 from the Municipal Operating Support Transfer (MOST) was added to the budget—$24,302 will go toward offsetting unpaid taxes while the remaining $5,000 will be used as a grant to the arena.
The tax rate of 12.88 per cent for residential and farmland properties will remain the same; however, due to higher property assessments there may be some minor changes to tax rolls in 2021.
Mr. Johnsrude noted the 2021 Capital Budget included some projects which were started in 2020, including upgrades to the truck fill and road repairs.
Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) funding, which was received in 2020, will be used to complete the projects. Approximately $321,000 will be taken from MSI funding, with an additional $11,000 taken out of the Village of Morrin’s surplus to complete these projects.
Mr. Johnsrude carried the motion to approve the final 2021 Operating budget of $534,300 and Capital budget of $324,413.