The city will spend almost $50 million on a host of capital projects under the proposed three-year capital budget that went before council Tuesday night.
The proposed 2011-13 municipal capital budget is just the first glance at the city's capital program and calls for spending of $14.5 million in 2011, $14.9 million in 2012 and $19.4 million in 2013.
Funding will largely come from provincial and federal grants, but over the three years a little more than $20 million will come from city coffers, either through reserve accounts or pay-as-you-go property tax dollars.
Tuesday's review was not an approval of capital spending, but does allow city administration to draft the broader draft operating and capital budgets. The new council elected in October will have final say on spending during the full budget review starting in November.
Mayor Nolan Crouse emphasized this was just the first look at spending and there is a lot more work to do when the capital budget returns.
"It is very difficult to look at the capital budget just in isolation, which is why you refer it to the budget process," he said. "We didn't see the 10-year plan and we didn't see the operational plan so I think it is going to get re-scrutinized."
Among the projects funded in 2011 is $200,000 for city entrance signs, $300,000 for city beautification and $150,000 for repairs to the Red Willow Trail.
The bigger ticket items in 2011 are a $1-million sidewalk replacement program, $2.5-million for arterial road asphalt overlays and another $2.3-million for a similar program on the city's collector roads.
In 2012, money will go into the Arden Theatre, fire station No. 1 and a legacy project for the Special Olympics.
Much of the spending in 2013 is a continuation from projects started in previous years, but it also includes funding for transit buses and replacement of transit shelters.
DARP, Riel Park left out
Several projects identified in the 10-year capital plan did not make it into the proposed list of funded projects.
There is no money to implement recommendations from the downtown area redevelopment plan (DARP). The final phases of the Riel Park redevelopment, which is currently under review, also are unfunded.
A $5-million expansion of the fitness centre at Servus Credit Union Place also did not qualify, nor is there any money for development of the heritage sites on Meadowview Drive.
In total there are $8.9 million worth of projects with no funding in 2011. That swells to $49.1 million in 2012 and a $52.5 million for 2013.
Crouse said the unfunded list keeps council aware of the bigger picture.
"When you are visionary and you are planning for the future you should be really weighing what you have below the line and what you have above the line."
Before he became mayor, Crouse said some projects moved from idea to the funded list in a single budget.
"When I was a councillor a project would go from where it wasn't even on a sheet anywhere to all of a sudden it's funded. Well that is no way to plan."
St. Albert Taxpayers' Association president Lynda Flannery addressed council and charged that leaving the Riel Park project and DARP off the list was misleading, however Crouse said the city is not bound to move forward on those projects right away.
As an example he said the pace could be slowed for the Riel Park project, incrementally rolling out work and paying for it only as the city has the funds.
"Maybe we do that over a period of a longer term as opposed to rushing it just to get it off our books."
Crouse also argued an upcoming report on the issue would help clarify what council is going to do with the expensive project. It's too early to prejudge that process, he said.
Utilities and fees
Council also approved changes in user fees and charges and did an early review of the utility capital budget.
The utility budget includes $5.6 million in projects in 2011, $10.2 million in 2012 and $14.5 million in 2013. The projects include major work on the city's wastewater system, including a $1-million rebuild of the Havenwood pond in 2011.
The city will build a new main water supply line at a cost of $4.4 million in 2012 and will also spend $2.2 million on grit interceptors to keep pollutants out of the Sturgeon River.
Several projects on the utility list also remain unfunded, including several major transmission lines and servicing for the annexed land, as well as work on Riel Park, which is split between the two budgets because it involves both landfill remediation and recreation work.
Council approved a three per cent hike to user fees, which included everything from Servus Credit Union Place memberships, to dog licences and development permits.
Transit fares and utility rates are governed by a separate policy and were not increased as part of the package.
LRT proposed
Coun. Len Bracko attempted to bring forward one change to the budget, aiming to pay for a study on a possible LRT alignment through St. Albert.
Edmonton is already proposing a LRT line to the city's boundary. Bracko wants that line extended to downtown St. Albert.
Bracko proposed removing a total of $1 million from sidewalk repair, split between 2011 and 2012 and using it to fund the study along with provincial grants.
Crouse moved to defer that decision until after the election during the full budget debate and received near unanimous support from council, with only Bracko opposed to the delay.
