Picture Butte Council approves final capital and operating budgets for 2023

By Erika Mathieu
Sunny South News

Picture Butte has approved the final draft of the 2023 capital and operating budgets. Council reviewed the document during the previous week’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

The Town’s draft operating and capital budgets were passed in December 2022 after deliberations.

During the Feb. 27 meeting, CAO Keith Davis said, “Council seemed pleased with the budget that was presented, which is based on a four per cent tax revenue increase.” Davis added, “the discussion was, ‘Does council want keep that four per cent tax revenue (increase) or keep the mill rate the same?’ That is really the direction that administration needs.”

Deputy Mayor Henry De Kok sponsored a motion to approve the budget as presented and keep the mill rate as presented. The motion was passed by council.

Following the decision, Council discussed how the 2022 operating budget surplus would be allocated. The total surplus for 2022 was $194,385. Council approved a motion to approve the surplus allocations for accounting purposes. Davis explained, “we are planning on bring these surpluses back for council’s approval,”  in March to determine the formal details of how/to which accounts the surpluses will be allocated.