North Battleford city council has adopted its 2011 Utility Budget, which will mean a 4.3 per cent increase for sewer and water customers.
According to the City, consumers of 25 cubic meters will see an increase of approximately $3.85 per month.
City council unanimously passed a resolution to adopt the utility budget Monday night, as was expected. Budget deliberations had taken place two weeks before. The budget document is now available for viewing on the city of North Battleford's website at cityofnb.ca.
In a media release, administration stressed the budget addresses operational expenses and the five-year capital plan for potable water production and distribution, sanitary sewage collection and treatment, and solid waste management and recycling.
"In 2011 the City will complete a major expansion to Water Treatment Plant No. 1 and dig a third cell at the waste management facility," said City Finance Director Byron Tumbach in a statement.
"Planned expenditures for the year are over $12.2 million in capital work and related financing. Over $5 million is estimated for operating expenses for the three utilities."
Tumbach also said the City would be putting a lot of emphasis on training and hiring new staff to fill in some gaps and ensure the city continues to operate "efficiently and effectively."
Monday night, Councillor Ron Crush said he was pleased with the utility budget process and said the budget "adopted promoted and demonstrated the principles that I think I expressed and value as a councillor."
He noted that some other communities were facing much more massive utility hikes as much as nine per cent.
"We could have been there too had we not balanced some of the additions that were needed," said Crush. "Our challenge next year . . . is that we continue to demonstrate that we are looking at those efficiencies and that we have an effective program of replacement and growth and that the utility budget continues to meet these goals."
