West Perth officially approved the 2025 budget at the February 3 meeting.
Mayor Walter McKenzie says the budget comes with a 6.8 percent tax increase for ratepayers. He says there are many capital projects to be completed this year, including road work along a southern stretch of Wellington Street in Mitchell.
"That is from the railroad tracks south to the sewage treatment plant, and that's about a $2.2 million project. We'll be resurfacing and putting stormwater and sewers in there," McKenzie shared.
McKenzie adds that there will be other roadwork, a dump truck replacement, and a building condition assessment on many of the municipal buildings. One in particular that is of interest is the Mitchell Arena, and McKenzie says the assessment will determine if they fix the existing floor, or if they need to start planning for a new building altogether.
"So because of the age of our arena, we're doing an assessment on it to decide whether we need to fix the existing floor in the arena or if we have to look at another ice pad," said McKenzie. "It's gonna decide whether we spend a few million dollars, on a new arena floor, or whether we have to bite the bullet and build a whole new ice pad."
McKenzie says they're hoping to have the assessment done and the information in front of council within a few months. He also broke down what the 6.8 percent increase amounts to for ratepayers.
"A house in town, in Mitchell, in the urban area, is $124 a year, and a farmhouse out in the rural area, it's $85 a year," noted McKenzie.
Additionally, there will be a decommissioning of an old dam in Fullarton by the ball park in partnership with Upper Thames Conservation Authority, and the municipality is kicking in just over $164,000 for that. The lights at the Fullarton ball diamonds are also being replaced.
The budget in West Perth carries a total levy requisition of $12,069,073.95, which results in a levy increase of $926,550.95, or 8.32 percent, with the tax rate increase of 6.8 percent.