On April 5, Niverville’s town council presented the first reading of its 2016 financial plan.
It goes without question that the subject of greatest concern for many residents is the level of school and property taxes. This year, the property tax is going to climb by two percent, which works out to $40 per average home. The average home in Niverville is currently assessed at $291,000, a sharp 38 percent increase in value from just five years ago, when that figure was $211,000.
This increase is somewhat offset by an accompanying decrease in school taxes. Because Niverville has grown so rapidly, the $3 million levy from the Hanover School Division is able to be spread over a larger number of properties. The result is an $11-dollar savings on the overall tax bill.
The budget for general government services will be going up to $806,685 in 2016, from an actual $581,660 being spent in 2015. This 39 percent increase is meant to anticipate additional staff, new software, and an IT upgrade.
The financial plan shows that no by-law officer was hired last year, despite the 2015 budget calling for one. The 2015 budget had included $38,000 for an Economic Development Officer (EDO), but that position was also not filled. Nonetheless, the amount of money set aside for economic development will be increased this year by $15,000 to further promote the Niverville Business Park.
In 2016, Niverville will see its transportation service budget increase by $40,000, marking a further investment in road maintenance and repairs. An additional $21,000 has been earmarked for improvements to the Main Street cemetery.
One of the steepest budget increases concerns recreation programs, which has gone up by $200,000 to accommodate the new splash pad and moving faster on the proposed multiplex.
$1 million of surplus from 2015 was transferred into the town’s reserve fund, which is expected to fund a number of projects in the coming year. These projects include the completion of the splash pad (as well as the adjacent canteen and washrooms), the construction of Highlands Park, tourist signage, the next phase of new sidewalks along Main Street, and the installation of a main water line down Main Street.
