The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Denare Beach is holding the line on property taxes while pumping major dollars into infrastructure. Approved earlier this summer, village council's 2012 budget keeps the mill rate level and invests $183,900 in capital projects. 'We're pretty happy with what has transpired,' said Mayor Carl Lentowicz. 'We're getting a lot of work done _ major work.' Overall village expenses are projected to climb to $1.91 million this year, a rise of $596,235 _ or 45 per cent _ over last year. Amortization accounts for a sizable share of the increase. At the same time, revenue is forecast to drop slightly by $9,994, even though sewer, water and garbage fees went up modestly this year. Residents will pay the same base tax of $525. The mill rate remains level as well _ $85 per $10,000 segment on 70 per cent of a home's value. That means a homeowner whose property is worth $100,000 will pay $525 as a base tax. He or she will also pay the mill rate based on a $70,000 value, another $595. The total tab would be $1,120. In terms of capital projects, village council is set to spend $49,400 to cover its share of ongoing improvements to the water and sewage treatment system. Upgrades to the water treatment plant, including an emergency power system, are expected to wrap up sometime this fall or winter at a cost of $43,000. The village will pay $6,400 to conclude a massive overhaul of the sewage treatment plant that began last year and is expected to be complete by the end of this month. See 'New...' on pg. 3 Continued from pg. 1 The work is equipping the facility with a new treatment process and a back-up generator, not to mention added capacity should Denare Beach grow. The sewage plant revamp is projected to carry an overall tab of $5.23 million, far higher than the $427,750 forecast for the work at the water plant. In both cases, the upper levels of government are helping to foot the bill. In its budget, village council has set aside another $60,000 to link new industrial lots near Konuto Lake _ about 25 to 30 of them _ with a road and electricity. The lots have already garnered interest. Council allotted $60,000 as well for equipment for the exercise room at the overhauled Denareplex. A further $9,000 is for a new ride-on mower, with $5,500 for forks and a bucket for a skid steer used by maintenance workers. This year marks the first time village council has upped the water, sewer and garbage fees for residents, though that was done prior to the budget. As of January, residents each month pay $24 for water, $24 for sewer and $5 for garbage. The previous amounts were $20 each for water and sewer and $3 for garbage, so the increase amounts to an extra $120 a year. Denare Beach had not boosted those fees since the village received sewer and water services in the early 1980s. Village residents will head to the polls this fall to elect a new _ or perhaps the same _ council. Mayor Lentowicz has been in office since 1997. His current council consists of Anne Schiltroth, Dale Holmgren, Wanda Ginnell, Nicole Holmgren, Frank Wiegers and Karen Thomson. The Oct. 24 elections in both Denare Beach and Creighton will for the first time involve four-year terms, as Saskatchewan has moved away from three-year municipal tenures. Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler told the Chamber of Commerce in April that he was leaning toward seeking re-election. 'At this point in time I don't know of any reason why I wouldn't (run again), but I can't commit at this time,' he said. Mayor Fidler has been in office since 2003, having been acclaimed as the only candidate that year and again in 2006 and 2009. Serving on Mayor Fidler's council are Darren Grant, Jeff Lane, Leslie Wood, Don Aasen, Valery Dixon and La Verne Hinzman.
