City council approves 2023 budget

Sault Ste. Marie city council tonight unanimously approved a 2023 budget including an overall municipal levy of $134.3 million.

Counting city finances as well as local and levy boards, that adds up to a 4.86 per cent levy increase for local ratepayers.

The city's portion of the municipal levy was up 2.99 per cent from 2022.

The levies and local boards portion was up 1.87 per cent.

The following adjustments were approved tonight to the budget's preliminary draft:

• additional slot revenue (–$100,000)
• streetlight savings (–$429,220)
• capital inflation (–$523,983)
• Manzo Park splash pad (–$115,000)
• plaza operations (–$41,667)
• cremation revenue (–$50,000)
• travel and training (–$50,000)
• hire two summer students $24,657
• funded from grant revenue (–$24,657)
• hire an aquatic lead at the John Rhodes Pool $55,844
• offset by reduction of complement (–$55,844)
• hire an office clerk in building inspection $62,985
• funded from building permit reserve fund (–$62,985)
• hire a building inspector $98,834
• funded from building permit reserve fund (–$98,834)
• hire four firefighters - hiring costs $340,892
• overtime savings (–$447,740)
• amount available to finance aerial truck $106,848
• hire a construction supervisor in the engineering department $97,065
• funded by Streamline Development Fund in 2023 (-$97,065)
• change part-time bylaw enforcement officer to full-time $35,803
• expand coverage of Downtown Ambassador Pilot Program ($95,913)
• funded by special council community fund over three years (–$63,942)
• Art Gallery of Algoma grant increase $17,764
• transit adventure bus pilot $8,000
• funded by special council community fund (–$8,000)
• long-term financial plan $50,000
• funded by asset management reserve (–$50,000)
• public works equipment reserve increase $330,000)
• funded by decreased contribution to asset management reserve (–$330,000)

The following changes to the 2023 capital budget and financing sources were approved Monday:

• remove capital project Bellevue Marina (–$675,000)
• substitute with project contingency for plaza account $645,000
• partial removal of capital project (road resurfacing) (–$423,191)

This change was approved to the 2023 sanitary budget:

• wastewater master plan (accumulated net revenue - sewer surcharge) - $434,230