A special council meeting for the Village of Rockyford was held on Thursday, March 18 where council awarded a tender for planned infrastructure upgrades and were presented with the proposed 2021 Operating Budget.
Despite challenges imposed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on preparing the budget, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Elaine Macdonald presented council with a balanced budget with a zero per cent tax increase.
“There was a one per cent difference in assessments,” she said during the meeting. “How the zero per cent increase affects you as a taxpayer will all depend on which way your assessment went.”
One point of concern which was brought up was the budgeted contribution to the Canadian Badlands Tourism.
A total of $436 million in funding, from both the provincial and federal governments, will be shared among Alberta’s municipalities to offset additional costs incurred due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Funds for the Municipal Operating Support Transfer (MOST) grant are allocated based on each municipality’s population, and many surrounding communities are planning how these funds will be used.
“Right now, all the (Village of Delia’s) equipment is old and mostly obsolete,” Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Tracy Breese told the Mail. “Our council chamber is small, and we are only able to hold six people as per COVID regulations, so we will have to turn people away that may want to attend the meetings.”