If Springwater Township council rejects all of the program enhancements being recommended by staff, property owners will see a 1.43 per cent decrease in the municipal portion of their 2024 tax bill.
But if council accepts all of the program enhancements, property owners will see a 1.83 per cent increase.
The final number will likely be somewhere in the middle as there are a few program enhancements council is expected to approve, including the hiring of a full-time economic development officer, a full-time GIS (geographic information system) co-ordinator and a Service Springwater contract. The cost of those three positions is almost $300,000.
Jas Rattigan, the township's director of finance, provided council with the 2024 proposed budget and business plan at the recent council meeting.
In it, she detailed the 11 program enhancements that would affect the municipal portion of the township’s 2024 tax bill. Nine enhancements are within township departmental budgets and the remaining two items are requests from the township’s service partner the Springwater Public Library, which is looking for an additional $75,000 in 2024 so it can hire a community services librarian and develop its strategic plan.
If council rejects all of the program changes, property owners will see a savings in municipal tax of about $30 annually on an average single-family detached residential assessment of $497,000.
If council accepts all of the program enhancements, meanwhile, property owners will be paying about $39 more annually in municipal tax on the same property.
Council’s decisions will also affect the total tax (blended tax) property owners will pay.
For every dollar the township collects, 48 cents goes to the township, 35 cents goes to the county and the remaining 17 cents goes to education.
If council rejects the enhancements, the total tax increase (municipal, county and education portions) will be 0.95 per cent, or an additional $41.15 per year on an average single-family detached residential assessment of $497,000.
Should council decide to accept all of the recommended enhancements, property owners will see a 2.56 per cent blended increase — an additional $110.99 per year.
The 11 enhancements Springwater Township is considering are:
- Economic development officer — $99,997
- GIS co-ordinator — $98,007
- Managed security services — $50,00
- Service Springwater contract — $92,917
- Communications assistant — $77,639
- Parks and facilities operator — $68,799
- Support assistant, part-time to full-time (public works) — $30,944
- Assistant, people, health and safety, and learning — $74,839
- Ward boundary review — $50,000
- Community services librarian — $70,417
- Library strategic plan — $5,000
Springwater will be hosting one-on-one sessions between councillors and staff from today until Nov. 10.
Budget meetings will take place on Nov. 13 stating at 5 p.m., Nov. 15 at 1 p.m., Nov. 20 at 5 p.m., and Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. (if required).
Final adoption of the budget is anticipated to take place during the Dec. 6 meeting of council, which starts at 6:30 p.m.
All meetings will be held at the Springwater Township Administration Centre, located in Midhurst at 2231 Nursery Rd.
