Town of La Ronge council members. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

2020 Municipal Budget

La Ronge 2020 budget records surplus, no tax increases

Jun 26, 2020 | 2:06 PM

The 2020 Town of La Ronge budget brings no tax increases and a small surplus of $31,000.

The budget was passed Wednesday at a regular town council meeting and includes details about a number of capital and operational projects to occur within the next year. As for capital projects, there will be upgrades to the phone system, furnace, air handler, as well as computer hardware and software upgrades at the town office. There will also be an Internet capacity upgrade in Council Chambers to allow for live streaming video of council meetings to increase transparency to the public.

“We have, finally, after a couple of years put all the costs under control, we streamlined a lot of the stuff and there’s more happening,” La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich said. “This would have been a perfect year to roll back taxes from where they are, but because of COVID and everything happening, it would not be prudent not knowing what it is going to really be.”

The capital budget also calls for upgrades to sewage works systems including lift stations, undertaking a pre-feasibility review regarding the future replacement of the Mel Hegland Uniplex, and creating a town trail/park master plan. The ice re-surfacing machine at the uniplex will be replaced and a plan of survey and subdivision will be completed at the La Ronge Airport.

The operational budget highlights a number of plans as well like 5,000-square-feet of street repairs ($64,000), replacement of firefighting gear ($56,000), walking path repairs ($55,000), fire mitigation ($50,000), security fence around the new shop ($41,000), 340-feet of sidewalk repairs downtown and in residential areas ($40,000), drainage repairs ($20,000) and airport shop lighting upgrade to LED ($5,000).

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If all goes as planned, revenues in the town’s reserves will exceed $8.6 million by the end of the year.

“We have money in the bank and every year we’re making money,” Woytowich said. “Over the last four years, I’m serious when I say it’s been operated more like a business. The costs have been streamlined, what is necessary is done and we’re more careful in how we spend.”

In recent years, Woytowich noted there’s also been more work done between the municipality, as well as federal and provincial governments in order to receive as much grant money as possible.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno