Modest tax rate increase included in 2024 Morris-Turnberry budget
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Morris-Turnberry Council approved its 2024 budget at a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 2. The tax levy is increasing by $159,872 over last year, or 3.35 per cent, amounting to $4,932,595.
This translates to a municipal tax rate increase of 3.68 per cent. When combined with the county’s 4.53 per cent tax rate increase and no increase to the education rate, the resulting blended amount is going up by 3.59 per cent over last year. A single-family home assessed at $226,031 can expect to pay $124.81 more than it did in 2023.
Mayor Jamie Heffer welcomed Treasurer Sean Brophy to the meeting. “Sean, I guess this is our favourite topic over the course of the year and we bring you to the ‘hot seat’ to conclude it for us.”
Brophy began with an overview of the changes he’s made since the last draft of the budget was presented on March 5. “I have received an update in regards to Huron East cemetery, fire and recreation. They had their first budget meeting back on the 19th [of March].”
According to Brophy, Morris-Turnberry’s share of the 2024 Huron East cemetery budget is $9,356, a decrease of $644 from his previous estimate.
“For fire,” he continued, “the operating levy - they have us in for $99,000. I had previously built the last draft using the North Huron increase as an estimate, so their actual number has come in a little bit better than that draft: $16,000 less.”
Brophy explained that Huron East has provided projections for the next 40 years of fire capital expenditures. “The thing to note here is the planned pumper truck that they originally had scheduled in 2026, they’ve bumped that back to 2028 at this time. What that means for our reserves is we’re looking pretty good for the next couple of years and then the big hit will happen in 2028, which is giving us a couple more years to build that up and be prepared for it, which is nice.”
Moving on, Brophy said Morris-Turnberry’s share of the Huron East recreation levy for this year is $101,744, up $7,924 from the previous budget draft in which he used the Consumer Price Index increase from September as an estimate.
Brophy noted that Huron East also provided an updated recreation capital plan, allowing him to expand Morris-Turnberry’s projections from five years to 15 years. “The one thing I didn’t have in the last draft was the Brussels ball diamond regrading. Our share of that is 20 per cent, so about $10,000. That will be covered by the recreation reserve.”
Continuing, Brophy said, “The other thing of note is the ice resurfacer. They did have that originally in 2027; that has been moved up to 2025.” Morris-Turnberry will contribute $25,000 to the $125,000 overall cost of the ice resurfacer.
Concluding his review of budget alterations, Brophy said, “Where that leaves us for our final draft budget is a little bit better than a month ago.” However, he noted, “I will point out that these are still best estimates, [the Huron East] budget is not finalized yet but it’s the best we’ve got at the moment. The other alternative is we sit and wait for them to finish but we did that last year and we waited until May, which I’m not too keen on.” Heffer concurred with Brophy’s assessment of the situation, saying, “Sean, I agree. We may as well finish it up tonight, rather than wait, because the wait could take some time.”
Offering praise, Councillor Jamie McCallum said, “I’d just like to commend staff and council as a whole that we did the best we could for our taxpayers and kept our increase reasonable to reflect what’s going on in our economic structure here at the present time. I think it’s a pat-on-the-back for all around.” Heffer echoed the sentiment, specifically highlighting the work of the treasurer.
In a unanimous vote, council approved the 2024 budget.