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.
The City of Flin Flon plans to take on over $700,000 in new capital projects in 2004, but most homeowners will barely notice a difference in their taxes. The City yesterday released its new preliminary budget, which calls for a modest 0.73 per cent increase in the residential mill rate. That amounts to an extra $1.89 for every $10,000 amount on the assessed value of each home. For instance, a homeowner whose residence is valued at $50,000 will pay an added $9.45. Business owners will see a more noticeable increase, as they will be charged an additional $7.41 per $10,000 value of their establishments. The preliminary budget lists 31 capital projects worth $740,000, including $100,000 for paving, $30,000 for new sidewalks, and $25,000 for brickwork on a section of the Main Street sidewalk. See 'Shopping' P.# Con't from P.# Flin Flon Municipal Administrator Larry Fancy said the new budget was not as difficult as those in recent years thanks primarily to new tax revenue from the Flintoba Shopping Centre. "Until that happened, every year we were seeing a reduction in our tax base and it was really getting desperate," he said. "This has made things much more doable for us, so hopefully we can start doing some more of the things that need to be done for this community." The new budget projects $8 million in City revenue, consisting of: $4.7 million in municipal taxes, $3.8 million of which goes to the Flin Flon School Division; $4.4 million in grants in lieu of taxes, primarily from HBMS; and $2.7 million from other revenue sources such as investment income and taxes not yet added to the tax rolls. Flin Flon City Council is set to give first reading to the budget at their meeting next Tuesday. Fancy would then like to call a special meeting that same week so the required second and third readings may also be completed. Capital projects The capital projects of $5,000 or more included in the budget are: $110,00 to replace the storm sewers from 58 Hapnot St. to First Ave. $100,000 for various paving projects around the community, starting with the areas deemed to be in the most need. $77,000 for asphalt overlay on Dominion Blvd., south a distance of 700 feet beginning at Balsam Avenue; on Green Street, south a distance of 600 feet from the Perimeter Highway turnoff; and on Queen Street from Wallace Ave. to West. Ave. $48,000 for a new transportation vehicle for the fire department. $35,000 for a lawn tractor that, with attachments, can also be used for snow clearing. $30,000 for 800 linear feet of sidewalk replacement around the community, starting with the areas deemed to be in the most need. $30,000 to replace the pumps at all of the heating plants. $30,000 for certification training for the City's utility operators. $25,000 to reset the sidewalk bricks on Main Street from the old Flin Flon Hotel to the Royal Bank. This is the last section of the sidewalk that has not been reset in recent years. $25,000 for roof repairs to a heating plant. $25,000 for a quarter-ton truck for the Utility Department. $25,000 for flushing ports, which will allow workers to clean some of the water lines. $25,000 to replace water system valves. $20,000 for a consultant to help the City meet Workplace Safety and Health requirements put in place by the province. $20,000 for parking lot repairs at the Flin Flon Municipal Airport. $16,000 for a "ramp hog" at the airport, which will be used to clean the ramp area. $14,000 to replace the lift station on South Hudson St. $12,000 for tools at the City Garage. $12,000 for a chlorination study. $8,500 for new flooring upstairs at the Fire Hall. $7,500 for new playground equipment, consisting of a teeter totter (for the park on North Ave.); spring toys (Grandview St. and Jones Square); a climbing apparatus (Alder Ave.); and benches (Centennial Cres. and the Trailer Court). $7,500 to retile the floor at the airport terminal. $6,500 to attach safety glass to the railing at the north and south ends of the Whitney Forum walking loop. $5,000 to renovate the front of City Hall. $5,000 to help build a $20,000 recreational facility in the Creekside Dr. area that would be used for skating, skateboarding, and other activities. $5,000 for a stone forks loader, which will be used to screen gravel to be used as fill.
