Street paving, pathway extension planned

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This article was published 07/05/2018 (3054 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Street paving and pedestrian/cyclist pathway extension in south Headingley are on tap for 2018.

Headingley council recently passed its 2018 financial plan that includes $882,000 for drainage and paving in south Headingley on Seekings St. from Hatfield Ave. south, Falcon Ave. from Seekings St. to Wescana St., and Boyda Ave. from Seekings to Wescana Streets. Improving drainage and extending the pathway along Roblin Blvd. from Wescana St. west to Thomas Acres is expected to cost $350,000.

“We want to make active transportation safer for residents,” said mayor John Mauseth.

The 2018 municipal budget is $7.6 million compared to $9.1 million in 2017. Other large expenditures include $200,000 for the recreation master plan, $50,000 for a transportation master plan, and $70,000 for firefighting equipment.

Mauseth said that a new five-year recreation master plan will soon be finalized and $200,000 is the annual amount allocated for recreation in 2018 and each of the next five years.

The municipal mill rate was decreased by five per cent, but 2018 is a tax reassessment year and the average increase is five per cent so tax payers won’t see a decrease on their 2018 tax bills compared to 2017 unless their new assessment is five per cent or under.

The RM of Headingley continues to receive the majority of its tax revenue from residential taxpayers with this totalling approximately $282 million or 61 per cent compared to $120 million or 26 per cent from commercial tax payers, $33 million or seven per cent from institutional tax payers, and $25 million or five per cent from farmland.

Mauseth said the residential percentage of the tax base is slightly lower for 2018 than the previous two years, and shows council’s commitment to steady residential growth of a maximum of five per cent per year.

“We’re cautious on our residential growth.”

Mauseth credits municipal staff with good management and previous council members with good judgement relating to the municipal budget.

“Generally we’re in good shape,” he said.