Turner Valley town councillors expressed reluctance in supporting some priority projects brought forward by administration in its draft 2020 capital budget Monday.
Administration proposed just under $3 million worth of capital projects for 2020 with $2,715,000 slated for infrastructure and $242,000 for equipment, at council’s regular meeting on Sept. 16.
The highest-ranked project is an engineering study for Sunset Boulevard at a cost of $300,000 to replace sanitary and storm lines and repave the road from Blacklock Way to Main Street. The project is expected to cost $4.4 million, which manager of finance and corporate services Corinne Middleton said could result in a tax increase of 4.5 to 6.9 per cent.
Coun. Lana Hamilton expressed concern over the cost of the project and how it will impact taxpayers.
“We’re already talking about a very substantial tax increase,” she said. “If we accept this we can’t afford to look at other projects.”
Second on the priority list is a storm and road upgrade on Gooding Lane from Windsor Avenue to Sunset Boulevard estimated to cost $460,000 - a project that planning co-ordinator Gerry Melenka said would see a cost savings if work occurs in conjunction with the nearby Sunset Boulevard. repairs.
Several councillors expressed opposition to the draft budget’s third highest priority, a paving upgrade of about 800m on Dunham Lane in Turner Valley’s north end. This estimated $1,025,000 project is expected to be offset by about $225,000 from the three developers fronting the road and about $50,000 in offsite levies, said Middleton.
Coun. Garry Raab argued that paving shouldn’t occur until the three developments are complete.
“To me it makes sense to pave it after they’re done because you’re going to have big trucks driving on it,” he said. “I would be in favour of postponing this.”
Hamilton and Deputy Mayor Cindy Holladay agreed.
“What is the harm on waiting on the Dunham Lane paving?” said Holladay. “What’s the harm on waiting a year?”
Melenka responded that the road should have been paved a long time ago and that there’s heavy residential traffic use.
Fourth on the priority list is upgrading the Dunham Lane water line - an estimated cost of $60,000.
The fifth, replacing one of the two garbage trucks at a price tag of $200,000 each for Black Diamond and Turner Valley, received considerable pushback by Holladay.
“Seeing as we have a regional waste study, this seems presumptuous,” she said. “The repair costs need to outweigh the cost of buying it. It’s a simple math that needs to be done before I approve it, and I definitely wouldn’t approve it until we made decisions on regional waste.”
Middleton responded that while administration is aware of ongoing talks about creating a regional initiative on garbage and waste, she told council the repair and maintenance costs are escalating on the 2014 truck. This year’s expenses already totalled $10,000 by July, she said.
“Where’s the line as to how long you hold the vehicle for?” she asked council. “It is seeing some wear and tear.”
The final two priorities in the draft budget are a sewer/storm infiltration investigation at $25,000 ($70,000 over three years) and waterline pressure testing at $30,000 ($85,000 over three years) to assist the Town in planning future infrastructure projects, Middleton told council.
Administration also presented a proposed list of capital projects for 2020 to 2025 totalling more than $20 million.
Holladay said with just over half of that slated for sanitary and storm projects, residents not connected with the Town’s water and sewer who pay for their own (Holladay being among them) must be considered.
“The numbers are alarming how much is needed for our storm and sewer and water systems,” she said. “There needs to be concession made so people having to pay for their private systems shouldn’t have to pay for the town’s public systems.“
Middleton said administration is working on funding options for the projects, including government grants, reserves, borrowing and debentures.
“The financing to borrow right now is extremely inexpensive and that gives us some real favourable rates long term,” she told.
Other projects on the list included, but aren’t limited to, $90,000 to install a monitoring system and fencing at the Bailey lift-station, $90,000 to install a monitoring system, lights and fencing at the Royalite lift-station, $12,000 for the potable hot water pressure washer and tank, $200,000 for pathways, $30,000 for self-contained breathing apparatus equipment for the fire department, $75,000 for sidewalk improvements and $6,300 for flooring in the spray park.
Middleton said administration will incorporate council’s comments and questions in a second draft to come to council this fall.
