ELK POINT – Elk Point Town Council saved not only money, but time, last week as they wrapped up what could have been two long evenings of discussion of the interim 2025 capital and operating budgets in just over two hours.
CAO Ken Gwozdz and Director of Corporate and Community Services Lisa Han presented council with what Gwozdz called “a bare bones budget,” but one that he said included many projects, a budget that Mayor Parrish Tung told its authors, “In 20 years, this is the leanest budget I’ve seen. You’ve done a very good job.”
Approval of the lean budget didn’t come without some serious discussions, especially regarding the Elk Point Fire Department’s capital and operating costs. While the cost of the just-ordered Freightliner pumper truck will be covered by reserves through to its delivery, the department’s plans for a training site to be constructed near the current landfill was questioned, with Fire Chief Bryce Osinchuk’ telling council, “Right now we’re getting by, we’re trying to use as much of what we have as we can, but I’d like to expand our training.” The cost of the training site would be shared with the County of St. Paul, he noted. “St. Paul has their own and we go there, but we don’t want to take too many units and firefighters” and leave Elk Point short in case of emergencies, he explained.
The cost of training, noted in the operating budget, also brought reactions from council, with Osinchuk explaining that the training costs to date in 2024 do not include the costs from the final quarter of the year and that firefighters’ training results in lower insurance costs. He asked for a $9,000 increase for training, but trimmed other parts of the fire expense budget from last year’s numbers by a significant amount, to the point Gwozdz said, “There is no impact on the overall budget” for the department.
Training is important in keeping firefighters with the department, he noted, adding that in the past, some who had been turned down for training “just quit.” Training provides the skills needed for fast and efficient action in an emergency, Osinchuk told council.
“Our fire chief is the best one we’ve had over the years,” Gwozdz remarked after his departure from the meeting.
Further discussions of the capital budget saw Mayor Tung “trying to juggle” available funding. “ The water reservoir update is important,” he said, “But we’re committed to the pumper truck and the ice plant.”
An addition to the Allied Arts building that Deputy Mayor Wanda Cochrane said “would make it look less like a warehouse” was postponed because while it would improve the facility, “We’d like it, but not at this moment.”
Council subsequently approved the 2025 Capital Budget, 10-Year Capital Plan, 20-Year Public Works Equipment Replacement Plan and 20-year Fire Department Equipment Replacement Plan, as amended.
Operating budgets
Council then moved on to the draft Operating Budget, with Gwozdz and Han fielding a number of questions, involving everything from increases for hired services to enforcement regarding unsightly premises, from council. Mayor Tung reminded them that the interim budget will come back to council in May to finalized, and that mill rates, which could see significant increases from 2024, will be set accordingly at that time.
There were still more budgets to come later in the meeting when council approved the 2025 Interim Operating and three-year budgets for Elk Point Investment Corporation and Green Building Incorporated, with expected expenses adding up to just over $20,000 in total for the two bodies.
Curling Club
A request from the Elk Point Curling Club that council consider approving financial assistance for a new ice plant and repairs to the curling rink brought the decision to inform the club that council understands their need for these upgrades and requests a written quote for the ice plant and repairs so these can be considered next fall in preparations for the 2026 budget.