Council Hits Another Rob Peter To Pay Paul Moment
By Robert Thomas
Is it a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul without saying how you might get some of it back by changing the rules for life long resident Patty?
Or is it one of trying fix cracks to save mothers’ backs?
Either way funds are moving from one area of concern to another area of concern. And it’s unsure whether it’s a one time thing.
At their most recent meeting Council agreed to transfer funds originally dedicated to roadway repairs to sidewalk repairs.
It’s a problem the City has faced for well over a decade - not enough money in the budget to cover the required amount of sidewalk repairs and replacement.
“As we worked through the budget process in the fall of 2024 and then ultimately tipped into January a part of what Engineering was doing was working through designs for locations. And at that time we could see that we were hitting a variety of walls with the need to expend more money with sidewalk infrastructure,” Bevan Harlton director of operations told Council.
Due to the budget being completed - and funds for infrastructure funding already set - the decision was made to discuss sidewalk renewal funding after the budget was finalized with Council based on unit rate use and construction costs.
Harlton then requested $550,000 be transferred from TR1 Paved Roads (monies budgeted for roadway renewals) to TR2 sidewalk renewal.
The $550,000 used for sidewalks would allow it to be part of the overall road renewal program.
Paved roads would move to $2.8 million down from $3.35 million. Sidewalks would move to $1.4 million up from $950,000.
“It’s adjusting those two budget values,” Harlton said.
The proposed sidewalk work will tie into such things as major roadway repairs on sections of 13th Avenue NW, utility cuts as well as 40 pedestrian ramps primarily playground zones.
It also takes in a policy change that before saw minimum sidewalk replacements as identified as deficiencies prior to 2023 to the present policy of installing more sidewalks adjacent road repairs.
He said in the future the department will have to look at how they put budget together.
Council Discussion
Less Roadway Repairs
Councillor Patrick Boyle wanted to know the impact on the paved road side of taking $550,000 out of that budget.
“There is an impact there,” Harlton responded, adding “there is 300 to 500 meters less of paved roads being completed this year.”
Harlton said he did not give more detailed options for Council to consider as he saw this “as the best way forward.”
He pointed out the worst locations for roadway repair are also on many occasions the worst locations for sidewalks.
An example was one location that required an estimated $200,000 for paved roads at the same time requiring $460,000 in sidewalk repair.
“And that’s one that really needs road renewal.”
Keeping the funds in road repair would mean foregoing higher priority road repair projects due to the higher cost of sidewalk repair, Harlton responded.
He said in 2023 and 2024 there have already been transfers from roadway repair to sidewalk repair but it was done “at a lower level” than what Counvik was being asked.
Punch Terrible Sidewalks Buggy - No Returns
Councillor Heather Eby said she would like to see the 13th Avenue NW project - roadway and sidewalks - done at one time instead of returning in a few years to do a bunch of digging to replace the sidewalks.
“We can’t do everything. We can’t do another 550 (meters) of paved roads plus insure our sidewalks are good,” Councillor Eby said.
She pointed out “there are neighborhoods that have very terrible sidewalks…and if you don’t think it’s not important I think you need to go for a walk because they’re dangerous. They’re dangerous for old people and little kids.”
Bringing the utility cuts up to date was touted by the Councillor as “a great accomplishment” as the City has been behind for a lengthy period of time.
Alleyway To Be Paved By Taxpayers’ Funds
As part of the proposed work in 2025 the alleyway on the west side of Main Street from Manitoba Street to River Street will be paved.
This is the first investment by the City into capital funding the pavement of an alleyway in the downtown core.
It needs to be noted that areas of the city where there is gravel and not paving in front of homes and businesses the City’s policy is for property owners to pay a levy for the pavement work. The City does not capital funding such roadways unless it is adjacent to City owned properties.
“It’s something I would like to expand and work towards is paved alleys in the downtown,” Harlton said.
Mayor Asks - This Year Only ???
Mayor James Murdock wanted to know if the $550,000 was a one time thing and if next year the funding would return to roadway repair.
Harlton said transferring funds in subsequent years is possible depending on the project(s) selected.
“I think that will depend on the connection between sidewalk repair expense when we are completing paved roads locations,” he said.
Monday afternoon’s presentation was where communication between Administration and Council began about the tie in and funding of sidewalk repairs and roadway repairs, Harlton said.
“The decision will come down to leaving sidewalk of some condition or leaving it.”
13th Avenue NW - Again???
Councillor Dawn Luhning addressed the poor condition of 13th Ave NW with the fact that “that road has been redone every two years for the last decade.”
“It just never seems to be right,” Councillor Luhning said.
She asked if there was cast iron work that needed to be completed on 13th Avenue NW and was told that some cross streets have cast iron water mains that someday would need replacement.
“The risk is always there for every location we pave and every location we do limited infrastructure renewal,” Harlton responded.
He said the greatest risk for 13th Ave NW to be dug up are homeowners deciding to upgrade their private service connections after the paving work,
The City has been contacting homeowners about the work and encouraging them to replace their private service connections prior to the road work.
One Side Sidewalks
Councillor Luhning pointed out how some of the newer subdivisions have sidewalks on only one side of roadways and older subdivisions have sidewalks on both sides of roadways.
She wondered if the City should continue to maintain sidewalks on both sides of roadways.
“Now that opens a can of worms. I’m aware of that. Being I’m not an engineer I have no clue. I think about that and when we don’t have enough money to maintain all this stuff the new subdivisions are not probably putting sidewalks on both sides of the road for a reason,” she said.
It needs to be noted property owners in older subdivisions paid levies to the City based upon roadway pavement, curbs and gutters plus sidewalks.
“Do some of these older subdivisions not need sidewalks on both sides? I’m not saying we should be doing that. Inalways like to look at all of the options,” she said.
“I’m not entirely sure how popular that decision would be to remove sidewalks…I think that is a good suggestion the City can look forward to for future designs,” Engineer Harlton responded.
No mention was made during the discussion as to whether or not the City, as the developer of many of the historical subdivisions, would owe property owners a levy rebate and if owed how much.
Council then voted in favour of transferring the funds.