The operating budget for the Innisfail library was the topic of discussion Nov. 25 during council's second session of budget talks.
Tracy Kelly, library board treasurer and Laurie Hodges Humble, library manager requested $117,000 for operational expenses. This is a decrease from last year's “ask” of $122,000 but up from the $105,000 council approved.
Hodges Humble said some of the increases include a three per cent bump in salaries for her eight employees.
“We'd like to be in the same ballpark as Bowden, Penhold and Spruce View,” she said, noting that these smaller municipalities pay a higher hourly wage.
“I have a nice staff and I want to keep them.”
Town manager Helen Dietz said how the library manages its budget isn't up to council.
“I understand the need to balance staffing but that is in your hands,” she said adding that the board can make the decision to cut elsewhere as needed.
Kelly said with salary taking 88 per cent of the operating budget, it would be likely the library would have to cut hours of operation.
“We need two people in the building at all times for safety,” she said, explaining that all eight staff members are needed to run the facility.
She went on to explain the increase is also for program costs as well as audio-visual material. She said last year the library was able to receive $6,000 from the Friends of the Library but said it's since been discovered that under the society rules, the friends cannot donate money for operational costs.
Coun. Mark Kemball asked why there wasn't a charge for the programs but Kelly said if there was a cost associated, interest would drop.
“The majority of people aren't higher income. We are proud of the turnout but if we started charging I think we would see a decrease in attendance.”
Councillors also inquired about the county share of $14,875, suggesting that wasn't proportional to the 17 per cent of county residents who make use of the library.
Hodges Humble said she will visit the county in January to ask for “more berries in the pie.”
Overall library costs council will consider is $210,000 that includes the $117,000 request from the library board. The remaining costs include janitorial, maintenance and utility fees.
Council also heard from community and protective services director Terry Welsh who presented a two per cent increase in his presentation from $2.39 million to $2.44.
Fire services is one department seeing a “significant” cost increase. The new year will see the creation of a full-time fire chief which requires an additional $40,000 from the previous part-time position.
Welsh said the benefits to having a full-time fire chief include more time to create building plans that fire crews can use when entering the larger industrial businesses in town. As well, there can be more focus on inspections.
He asked council to consider spending an additional $40,000 on a self-contained breathing apparatus compressor which refills bottles during and after structural fires. Currently the bottles have to be taken to Red Deer to be filled.
Some of the identified needs for the year include $70,000 to replace two dehumidifier units in the Innisfail pool. Welsh said one of the two is already in “really bad shape.”
At both the pool and arena, Welsh plans for retrofitting new light and water systems as part of an energy conservation move that will cost $7,500 at the pool and $10,00 at the arena. The arena is also in need of an ice condenser replacement at a cost of $137,000.
“Our condenser is at or near its lifespan,” said Welsh.
For emergency services, Welsh also asked council to consider $25,000 for a new vehicle for bylaw services. He said the same request would be made again next year with the purchase taking place in 2015.
Veteran councillors were skeptical of this request, noting that the previous council approved a vehicle two years ago and at that time were told it would last 10 years.
Other big-ticket items include $55,000 for a new landscape tractor and $25,000 for a high-lift turf sweeper.
Budget discussions continued on Nov. 28 but were closed to the public as the meeting discussed salaries. This process started Nov. 19 when council heard presentations from Heather Whymark, director of corporate services, Craig Teal, director of planning and operations and FCSS manager Tammy Oliver-McCurdie.
