Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Greater Napanee council officially adopted the town’s 2021 budget, unanimously voting in favour of a combined operating and capital tax levy increase of $2.95 per cent.
The total budget for the year is $13,319,170.
The budget was passed as part of council’s Jan. 12 meeting, the first of the year.
According to Greater Napanee general manager of financial services and treasurer Paul Dowber, the proposed levy increase will result in an increase of approximately $11.21 per $100,000 of assessment. The average residential assessment in Greater Napanee in 2021 is $223,307.00, which would see an increase in the municipal portion of the tax bill of approximately $25 for the year.
Dowbar said the increase is needed in order to increase materials for hardtop maintenance on town roads, maintain current technology and upgrade it to include online tax bills in January 2021, and online water bills, with the goal of rolling out in January 2022, increase the roles of two positions to meet the increasing requirements of legislation and growth, add two full time and two part-time positions to meet the requirements of the newly acquired cemeteries and to meet the regulatory standards of care, meet the pressures of increasing costs, such as insurance and utilities, maintain a consistent service level to ratepayers of the town, replace over 22 kilometers of surface-treated and asphalt roads, replace critical infrastructure on sections of three roads in town, including water, sanitary sewer, asphalt, concrete curb and sidewalk, maintain and move the fleet plan forward, provide replacement of critical safety equipment for firefighters, replace water and sewer infrastructure and equipment, provide the Hart Subdivision a park and provide the municipal contribution to the substantial community bequeath for accessible play space at North Fredericksburgh Sport’s Complex.
The final budget was prepared following meetings held on Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 8 of last year.
-Council also voted in favour of lighting up town hall with a blue light on April 2 in honour of World Autism Awareness Day. The vote was held following a request by Mandy Stapley of the Lennox and Addington County Autism Network (LACAN).