By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Town council passes budgets with focus on growing Rocky Mountain House

Apr 19, 2018 | 1:23 PM

Rocky Mountain House has a declining population, but town council thinks it’s recently approved operating and capital budgets can help reverse that trend.

Rocky’s population in 2011 was 6,933 and dropped 4.3 per cent to 6,635 in 2016, according to Statistics Canada.

The 2018 Operating Budget, approved last week, is 2.8 per cent – or $630,000 — higher than last year’s, and includes seven new Town hires.

CAO Dean Krause says council envisions a prosperous future for the town.

“It’s time to get Rocky on the move, it’s time to get back and grow the community. Council realizes the first step is making sure we have the resources to do that,” he says. “We want to grow economic development, get people back and increase our population, and to do that it takes a pretty concerted effort in a lot of areas.”

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Among the seven new positions are a director of planning and community development, an assistant development officer, an FCSS coordinator, a public works operator and a communications officer.

“We know that we have to maintain our assets and that’s something that’s been lagging for the last couple years is replacing and maintaining our roads, water and sewer,” Krause continues. “Some of the staff are going into our public works department so we can stay on top of that.”

Under the new Municipal Government Act, municipalities now have the option to continue with a two-armed taxation structure, or transition to one with five rates. The Town has opted for the latter, which means different rates for residential, commercial, vacant residential, vacant commercial, and large business.

The residential tax rate increase is 0.5 per cent, or about $30 per year on the average home. Commercial properties will go up 1.3 per cent, or around $100. Meanwhile, vacant residential will see an 11 per cent jump, and vacant commercial 25 per cent. Large businesses could see spikes upwards of $10,000.

As for the Capital Budget passed Tuesday, which includes the aforementioned upgrades to roads, water and sewer, Krause says council approved its portion of a $600,000 spray park to be located near the museum. That project is a partnership with Clearwater County and a community group.

There are also dollars to upgrade the Town’s public works fleet, and for maintenance at the water treatment plant.

There are no funds in either budget for RCMP as the detachment did not request any new members this year.

“It’s a good balance of maintaining our assets and improving the quality of life in the community,” Krause opines. “We’re excited because really the drive of council is to grow Rocky and this budget supports that mandate. They’re also working on their strategic plan which will be released in May. We’re looking forward to the future for sure.”