ELK POINT – “Where does all the money go?” is a question in the minds of taxpayers everywhere, and that includes the property owners in Elk Point.
At the Jan. 27 meeting of town council, research into the costs covered by the Town of Elk Point for the community’s non-profit organizations, reports on variances from the 2024 budget and budget lines over 20 per cent in November and December answered some of these questions, while one of the delegations pointed out that in some cases, it takes only a small amount of the town’s tax revenue to save Elk Point residents a significant amount of money.
Northern Lights Library System executive director James MacDonald told council that across the system, which served 60 municipalities through 50 libraries, saved patrons $30 million in 2024, figuring in the cost of purchasing the books, magazines and DVDs, in addition to the other services the system provides.
Elk Point’s requisition for the year, $7,943, saved library patrons $485,000, MacDonald said, “Or $98.30 for every dollar invested.” In 2024, patrons borrowed 2,063 audio books, worth a total of $149,000, and 13,000 physical books, and the library contacted NLLS a total of 38 times for assistance and information.
Elk Point’s library manager Daphne Schnurer “does a fantastic job,” he said, adding that the library’s partnership with Portage College to provide on-site learning opportunities “is one of our success stories. We appreciate your membership.”
Financial contributions
A request from Coun. Tim Smereka to research the costs to the town for insurance, water, donations, etc. brought forth a detailed report listing the A. G. Ross Arena, with a total of $35,737.60, curling rink, $11,981.77. C G. Baker Ag Barn, $1,653, EcoCentre, $4,329.44, Regional Allied Arts, $11,536.57, Pioneer Circle $1,380. Spray Park, $11,036.59, and the Elk Point/St. Paul Fire Hall, $1,380. Grants to Elk Point Minor Hockey and Elk Point Minor Ball added up to $1,000 each.
Over the past five years, the town’s Public Works has helped with non-profit organizations and events, with total costs over that time adding up to $11,215 for Canada Day, $6,675 for Extravaganza, $16,692 for mowing, parking lot maintenance and garbage removal at the Ag Barn and $9,031 for parking lot maintenance at the Healthcare Centre. Parking lot maintenance at the Allied Arts is estimated at $11,666 for the five years, the Arena parking lot, sidewalk and grass, $7,494, the Golf Course water and roads, $4,702 and the Curling Club parking lot and grass, $8,938.
It all adds up to $12,420 in water bills, $29,155.80 in water over minimum bills, $25,554.63 in insurance for 2023 and $13,421.54 in 2024, and $76,413 in maintenance for non-profit organizations events over the fire years.
Following the report, Coun. Smereka agreed, “The town does a lot for the community. It all comes down to the dollars.”
Finance variances
A total of 13 variances from the 2024 budget that added up to $30,732.70, covering categories from rental of equipment to advertising were both part of CAO Ken Gwozdz’s monthly report and Director of Corporate and Community Services Lisa Han’s financial report, with a resolution passed for their approval.
Housing study
ISL Engineering has asked that council appoint a council representative and a staff member to the St. Paul Regional Housing Strategy Committee, which also involves the Town and County of St. Paul and the Summer Village of Horseshoe Bay in a project that will include interviews, open houses and a workshop, and that is aimed at determining current and future housing needs and gaps that exist and to develop goals and actions to address these needs.
Deputy Mayor Jason Boorse was appointed to be Elk Point’s Town Council representative, with Coun. Dwayne Yaremkevich as alternate, and CAO Ken Gwozdz as the administration’s representative. The study is scheduled for completion by the end of June.
GIS service provider
With the contract with Catalis as the town’s Geographic Information System (GIS) service provider concluded in December, council agreed to approve Material Recovery Facility (MRF) as the new provider, having heard from other municipalities that MRF provides excellent GIS services, and because it has offered very competitive contract costs for installation and the coming three years. The County of St. Paul has one more year remaining on their contract with Catalis.
Costly conference
A request that the mayor, council and CAO attend the ABMuni’s President’s Summit and Municipal Leaders Conference in Edmonton in early March was discussed, with Mayor Tung noting that travel, accommodation and honorarium costs would add up to a substantial amount that did not fit in with this year’s tight budget, and moved that the request be received as information. However, further discussion resulted in this changing to approval for a maximum of one representative to attend the conference.
The next item on the agenda, a request for membership in the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, was received as information.
