Stuartburn Seeks Approval from Province for Possible Operating Deficit

By Dan Guetre

The RM of Stuartburn council has asked their administration to reach out to the Province forewarning them that there may be a potential shortfall in operating capital and a deficit could result.

This is just a precautionary action taken by council and they are required to inform the provincial government.

“[It’s] just under $90,000, however after audit transfers, the reality likely will not be an anticipated deficit at all,” explained Stuartburn Reeve Michelle Gawronsky. “By the Act, all Municipalities must notify the Provincial Government of a possible deficit which is why the Resolution was passed by Council, so a letter of Notification would be sent to the Province.”

“…Council inherited it through no fault of the previous Council,” stressed Gawronsky. “Almost all costs increased for the municipality [with] the main one being snow clearly last winter.”

She said fuel surcharges, inflation costs, and higher construction costs also contributed.

She explained that since the provincial government has frozen municipal funding since 2016, the increase in costs created a huge challenge to the previous Council without any increased funding to cover the cost. In a year like 2022, she recognizes that every municipality or business has been impacted by inflation costs, increased need and cost of services such as snow clearing.

“I haven’t spoken to any Municipality from all across the province that hasn’t shared in increase in the costs,” said Gawronsky. “The rate payers need to know the Provincial Government froze the funding in 2016, off loaded more responsibility to the RM’s without the funding to pay for them.”

Stuartburn residents should not feel the pinch if a small deficit is realized. “We are not expecting any affect to the municipal services, any deficit should be covered by the accumulated surplus,” she assured.

Gawronsky said residents should not be focused on a small deficit in the RM’s Budget as everyone is aware of, and feeling, the impacts of rising costs of everything. There is a bigger, general picture to look at.

“We need to be paying attention to the economy of our communities and our province,” she added.