Town of Stony Plain approves new corporate plan
The final file currently posted on the Town website keeps the initially modified tax rate of 1.71 per cent.
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The Town of Stony Plain’s future is set through to 2023 barring any changes in the environment in Alberta.
Councillors approved the new corporate plan for the community which will begin next year during their meeting Monday. This final authorization comes in the wake of deliberations earlier this month and it has a number of changes from the plan which was first debated where officials in the community also noted many operations had been delayed, disrupted or outright cancelled due to the virus impact.
“There were five motions made and each had a potential or real impact on the tax increase,” Tom Goulden, Town manager said. “Council did ask for an overall reduction. Measures were taken to meet those reductions and we did go into council accounts [for conferences, as well].”
The final file currently posted on the Town website keeps the initially modified tax rate of 1.71 per cent. This was previously set at 1.91 but was adjusted in earlier meetings before the plan finalization. Other highlights included an expectation of conservative financial transfers from the federal and provincial governments and Coun. Linda Matties asked if the Town had solid reserves still in the era of the current pandemic.
In response Goulden – who did note previously this year had a number of unique challenges which officials had to be cognizant of – added the words “worry” or “concern” would not need to be applied to the reserve and debt levels in the community. There is uncertainty for the future but the plan has a total of $39,480,649 in operating revenue, $36,012,050 in expenses and about $6 million in unfunded amortization.
The document was ultimately approved unanimously by the council. It is another foundation and for Mayor William Choy one which meets the unpredictability of the moment in a way which still allows the community to meet its short-term goals and long-term goals for residents
“With this plan we strive for dynamic excellence,” his opening statement in the policy package reads. “With this challenging framework Stony Plain continues to further the critical aspects of our strategic pillars. Supportive infrastructure, community development, economic opportunity, governance and partners and environmental responsibility align these broad goals with the current needs of our community.”
Other Developments
Apart from the corporate plan council also heard from representatives from the golf course Monday. Though it opened late due to COVID-19 visits to the facility were up. A report noted 33,000 rounds were played this season and this number is 10,000 more than the previous year.
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