IN THE NEWS

By Marianne Cole

WELCOME CAROLINE 

As of January 1, 2025 we welcome the former “Village of Caroline” to become part of Clearwater County as a hamlet. As such, it joins other hamlets such as Condor, Leslieville, and Nordegg under the jurisdiction of Clearwater County. We certainly welcome all residents and businesses as we begin a new year together and hopefully enjoy many more cooperative, beneficial ones to come.

INTERIM COUNCIL ORGANIZATION 

With the amalgamation coming into effect on January 1st, an Interim Council Organizational meeting will be held on January 7, 2025. At that time an interim Reeve and Deputy Reeve will be chosen by the council now made up of 6 county representatives and 1 from Caroline. Along with those 2 guiding positions, councillor representatives will be appointed to each of the various boards and committees the county is involved with. These positions will remain in effect until the municipal election in October 2025.

2025 BUDGET 

At Council’s December 20, 2024 meeting the proposed 2025 budget was initially approved. (It will be presented for final approval by Interim Council on January 7, 2025.) Highlights include:

· Operating budget: (excluding broadband and hamlet of Caroline) $55,521,258. This is up $5,894,565 (11.8%) from the 2024 budget of $49,626,693.

· Capital budget: (excluding broadband and hamlet of Caroline) $41,294,355. This is up $927,459 (2.3%) from the 2024 budget of $40,366,896.

· Broadband Operating expenses are estimated to be $1,730,585. Information in the agenda package for January 7, 2025 is somewhat confusing as one sentence says this expense is “being funded through operating revenues of $1,730,585”. In another sentence it states, “Of the $1,730,585 budgeted operating expenses, $503,000 is expected to be recuperated from broadband operations sale of service.” Are the operating revenues expected to equal the expenses or cover less than half of the costs?

· Broadband capital budget for 2025 totals $43,675,676 with $28,697,830 coming from capital revenues and $14,977,846 coming from restricted surplus.

· Caroline’s operational budget is proposed to be $1,275,003, balanced by equal proposed revenues. Interestingly, expenses include $109,000 for “Adjustments”, $57,747 “Council Expenses”, and $326,900 in “General Administration” expenses. Are these necessary expenses now following amalgamation?

· Caroline’s capital budget is proposed to be $664,448, balanced by grant revenues.

PROPOSED PROJECTS PROMPT PARLEY 

The proposed expenditure of $6M on a 10 bay heated storage facility and $11M on an indoor waste facility to be built on the county’s north quarter sparked significant discussion at Council’s December 20th meeting. Particular questions/concerns were raised on the need for these new builds, their size, and the resulting cost.

Numerous motions were made, defeated, and revised before it was ultimately decided to postpone decisions until a new council is elected in October and the 2026 budget will be dealt with by them.

Interesting comments have been heard, wondering if this is the “beginning” of more new developments “up there”.

LUB REVIEW UPDATE 

A joint meeting of both Council and PAC is being proposed for later in January. This will be an all-day meeting to review the current draft. Following that several public engagement meetings will be held.

Coming Events: 

Wednesday, January 8, 2025 and February 12, 2025, 7:39PM, Leslieville Elks’ Hall, regular monthly meetings.

“Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.” Michael Josephson.

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Martin Luther King Jr.

“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” H. Jackson Brown Jr