Province approves the rural community’s 2025 budget, which increases spending while holding the line of property tax rates
A 10.4 per cent growth in its tax base helped the Nackawic-Millville Rural Community meet its growing expenses without raising property owners’ tax rates.
“Between new construction and increased property assessments by the provincial government, our tax base grew over the past year from almost $336 million to almost $371 million,” explained Mayor Tim Fox.
He said the tax rates would remain unchanged in all wards for 2025.
At a special meeting on Dec. 10, the Nackawic-Millville Council passed the balanced $3.84 million operating budget and $441,000 utility budget.
During the regular council session on Dec. 16, CAO Kathryn Clark told the council the budget received provincial approval earlier that day.
The increased base contributed to a $247,769 jump in revenues, including a combined increase of eight per cent in the municipal warrant and unconditional grant,
The budget also reflected a nine per cent increase in Department of Parks and Recreation revenue, primarily due to increased area usage and a successful arena advertising campaign.
The increased revenue helped allay rising expenses in several departments, including a 3.5 per cent jump in policing costs as mandated by the N.B. Department of Public Safety.
Fire costs will rise by 15 per cent over the rural community’s three fire stations.
Public works spending will jump by six per cent, with eight per cent more going to recreation and cultural services.
Staff and council found savings in some departments, including a two per cent decrease in general government operations.
It will also see a two per cent net reduction in environmental health services, including adding a municipality-owned garbage truck to collect garbage in all wards outside Ward 3, the former town of Nackawic.
Mayor Fox said the town’s public works staff will operate the truck to collect regular garbage in the five outside wards, starting in January. He said the change from contracting the service could save the municipality up to $200,000 annually.
He explained Ward 3 would remain under its current contract with FERO until it expires.
The budget saw fiscal services costs jump by 140 per cent, primarily because of budget reallocations and debt repayments owed on new assets and infrastructure.
The Nackawic-Millville utility budget calls for an average $45 per year increase in the flat rate fee for water and sewer services, which should deliver an approximately eight per cent increase in revenue. Council approved a six per cent increase in utility expenses, which included reserve allocations for future repair and replacement of its aging utility assets.
Fox explained strategic spending on infrastructure upgrades helps reduce operation costs over time. He cited the purchase of the garbage truck as an example.
“Our investment in garbage collection has prevented projected increases in garbage collection contract costs that could have represented an approximate five cent increase in municipal tax rates,” he said.
Fox said Nackawic-Millville’s continuing growth will help the municipality to upgrade services without increasing the tax rate. He said the council is committed to sustainable economic and population growth.
He added the town staff and council would share their future vision with residents when they unveil Nackawic-Millville’s municipal strategic plan early in 2025.
