A pleasant surprise

Berwick council approves budget with slight tax decreases

There will be a slight decrease in the residential and commercial tax rates.

Berwick’s town council recently approved the 2017-18 budget, and agreed to shave about one cent off of the property tax rates. The residential rate is now $1.199 per $100 of taxable assessment, and the commercial rate is $3.491.

Mayor Don Clarke said council members went into the budget sessions with a shared desire to keep costs as low as possible for taxpayers. He added a combination of factors made it possible to lower the tax rates on the heels of the multi-million dollar town hall complex build.

“We had anticipated before we started this project that it would probably lead to slight raises in the tax rate, but we were hopeful with some of the things that are happening that maybe we wouldn’t have to raise the tax rate and, in fact, I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to lower it slightly,” said Clarke.

“We are starting to get some revenue from the wind farm, and that entered into it for sure.”

The Town of Berwick is one of three municipal units with a stake in the Alternate Resource Energy Authority (AREA), an agency that owns a wind farm Ellershouse, Hants County. This partnership allows the Town of Berwick to buy renewable energy at a reduced price, stabilize rates for customers of its electric commission, and receive a portion of any surplus achieved by AREA.

“If you have another source of revenue, which the wind farm is, it’s a huge relief,” said Clarke, who noted that the education costs levied by the provincial government were increased this year and there will also be a slight increase in sewer charges due to ongoing upgrades.

The mayor said “carefully watching dollars,” having an additional source of revenue outside of the tax rates and leasing space in the new town hall complex out for the Annapolis Valley Regional Library headquarters all played a role in making it possible to lower the tax rates this year.

Council passed a capital budget with $736,376 worth of expenditures that will be covered by a combination of operating funds, reserves and gas tax money. Capital projects will include sewer treatment plant and storm sewer improvements, paving, landscaping at the new town hall complex and a splash pad at Rainforth Park.

If all goes as planned, Clarke said the splash pad could be completed by mid-summer.