BREAKING NEWS// SEE WHAT FORT SASKATCHEWAN CITIZENS ARE SAYING ABOUT THEIR TAXES. WWW.YOUTUBE/user/CityFortSask
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THE CITY OF FORT SASKATCHEWAN | 2014
POLICING
Law & Order ENFORCING THE LAW, ENSURING OUR SAFETY CONTACT: JOSIE KROKIS Director, Protective Services jkrokis@fortsask.ca Tel: 780-992-6111
K (L to R) Municipal Enforcement Officers Kalie Anderson and James Russell on bike duty.
CITY BUDGET
For what it’$ Worth
CITY CAREFULLY ASSIGNING TAX DOLLARS TO WORK FOR EVERYONE CONTACT: MIRJAM BRETT Budget Director mbrett@fortsask.ca Tel: 780-992-6222
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hese days, with the cost of living constantly increasing, residents are more conscious than ever of what they’re getting for their hard earned dollars. We get it, and we’ve worked hard to give citizens the best bang for their buck. The City of Fort Saskatchewan is committed to the prudent
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is committed to the prudent use of taxpayer dollars. use of taxpayer dollars. Citizens’ feedback and direction from City Council have shaped 2014 budget priorities. These priorities provide solid opportunities to enhance quality of life for
Fort Saskatchewan residents, while maintaining essential core services. Bottom line: property taxes account for 56.4% of the City’s total revenue. The rest is made up of sales, user fees, rentals, penalties and interest, licenses, fines and permits, transfers from the provincial and federal governments, and transfers from reserve funds. Continued on page 3
A fun run for everyone! It’s time to dust off those runners and get ready for the LEGACY PARK FUN RUN & WALK, part of the Legacy Park Family Festival Saturday, June 7, 2014. All proceeds to go towards Fort Saskatchewan Meals on Wheels
eeping the peace and enforcing the law are priorities for all residents. As the city grows, policing requirements grow with it. This year, $280,000 will pay for two additional RCMP members, and an additional $140,000 will go toward hiring a School Resource RCMP Officer. Adding two new officers means all four watches will be fully staffed. The RCMP responds to calls on a priority basis, from Level 1 to 4. High priority calls, 1’s and 2’s usually require two officers to attend. The addition of two new officers helps towards providing a timely response for all priorities. Residents have asked for higher visibility in traffic enforcement including speeding and noise violations. The addition of the two officers allows staff to be restored to the
Traffic Unit, which is a high priority for Fort residents. The addition of a School Resource Officer (SRO) was approved by Council. The role of the SRO is to build strong relationships with students, staff and the parents. The SRO provides proactive education and enforcement concerning traffic safety around their assigned schools, they deliver presentations on personal safety, crime prevention, and attend community events outside of the schools as time permits. In the summer months, the SRO is reassigned to other units. The benefits of the new position additions are the maintenance of existing service levels, increase in public and officer safety, provision of both proactive and preventative programs, and increase in police visibility in the community. Work is well underway on the new RCMP/Municipal Enforcement building with an anticipated opening of spring 2015.
SENIORS WEEK June 2 − 8, 2014 Our seniors rock!