The 2019 municipal budget is back on the agenda next week.
Timmins council is meeting to talk about the budget Monday, March 18 at 4 p.m. in council chambers at city hall.
The proposed budget was first presented back in February and includes a 1.52 per cent net increase in 2019.
Some of the highlights include an 11.17 per cent ($57,800) increase for council honorariums.
At the Feb. 22 meeting, director of finance Natalie Moore explained that up until 2018 Canada Revenue Agency exempted council honorariums by one third. When that changed, she said people would have seen a higher tax and benefits if the honorarium was left the same.
"What council approved last year was an increase in honorarium to ensure that the take-home pay for council remained the same," she said.
For enforcement services, a new position is also budgeted. It would be for a 50/50 shared position with the Mattagami Region Conservation Area to ensure compliance for site alteration and drainage, said Moore.
In corporate services there is a 16.53 per cent ($144,587) hike for personnel.
This is partially for the new communications director position council approved last month.
While Service Timmins, which was rolled out last year and will have its first year of operation in 2019, shows a 470 per cent ($563,700) budget increase, Moore said a lot of the savings are seen in other departments that are being transferred there.
Some of the major capital purchases included are: $250,000 for repairs on the McIntyre Headframe, $500,000 for the Archie Dillon roof membrane, $350,000 for landfill gas system installation, $650,000 for a pumper truck for the fire department, and $487,000 for bridge repairs.
The full budget presentation is available here.
