The provincial government’s proposed revised funding model for the provision of police services, a process that started under the former administration, has a local councillor concerned the change will herald a substantial cost increase to Sundre taxpayers.
“The government of Alberta had a webinar last week, and they unveiled their rendition of the cost model for policing,” Coun. Cheri Funke said in a report to her colleagues during the Sept. 9 meeting.
Based on figures presented during that session, Funke said she crunched some numbers to determine a “best, worst-case scenario” as well as a “worst, worst-case scenario.”
In the event the government was to distribute 15 per cent of the provincial cost among all of Alberta’s 291 small municipalities, Sundre could end up having to contribute about $68,000, which would represent a mill rate increase of two, she said.
But if the government was to spread out 70 per cent of the cost among the small municipalities, that expense would jump up to roughly $318,000, or just more than 10 mills, she said.
Funke is one of two elected officials representing small municipalities sitting on the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association’s Police Act working group.
“There will be no changes for municipalities that currently pay for their policing,” she said, adding the issue was originally brought up by larger centres that felt the funding model was not fair.
Currently, small towns, counties and municipal districts with a population of fewer than 5,000 residents are exempt from paying for police services, a cost borne by the provincial government.
The changes proposed in the new funding model would only apply to frontline costs. Administrative expenses as well as the provision of specialized services such as dog services and police helicopters would still be covered by the provincial government, said Funke.
Additionally, she said the government at this time is not considering submissions from small communities that are applying for policing grants. While a period of public engagement is to continue until the end of November, there is no time frame outlining when the new police funding model could be implemented, she said.
“They have no idea yet how the costs are going to be paid by municipalities,” she said.
The government recently began consultations with the public, and municipalities have until Oct. 15 to make their own submissions, she said.
Funke sought support from her colleagues to green-light her effort to work alongside Sundre’s chief administrative officer and director of corporate services to prepare an expression of concern to AUMA, and to bring back a draft during council’s Sept. 23 meeting so the document could be approved before an AUMA meeting on Sept. 24.
“I don’t think this is quite what they expected,” she said about the association’s reaction to the proposed changes to the police funding model.
“When they brought this up, it was mostly bigger communities feeling they were paying too much. But this doesn’t affect them.”
The councillor added she anticipates a growing outcry from small communities as more details about the proposed funding model surface, and stressed the importance of submitting the municipality’s opinion and concerns to the province prior to the Oct. 15 deadline.
Coun. Richard Warnock agreed that a more detailed look at the proposed numbers should be brought back to council during the Sept. 23 meeting. Although reluctant to unnecessarily raise taxpayers’ fears, he said making a submission on behalf of the Town of Sundre is important, because the absence of taking a stand one way or another could be interpreted to mean the municipality is OK with the change, “and we’re not.”
Coun. Charlene Preston wondered what other smaller communities have been saying.
“Unfortunately, the rest of the small municipalities have not been as vocal as we have,” she said, adding some counties have been louder about the issue.
Preston then asked whether Sundre’s chief administrative officer, Linda Nelson, could be discussing the issue with administrators from other municipalities to glean their perspectives and concerns.
“This could be a problem for rural communities, not just Sundre,” said Preston.
“Definitely, we should be having that conversation,” said Nelson.
Warnock went on to motion for council to direct administration to prepare a report outlining the situation for further discussion during the Sept. 23 meeting.
He cited the urgency involved as the AUMA conference is around the corner as a reason for making the motion.
Mayor Terry Leslie said in consideration of the future when Sundre’s population reaches 5,000, that the sudden cost the community would bear under the current model would be substantial. So any proposed changes that could mitigate that future cost by having other municipalities like counties contribute more could be fairer, he said.
But at this point, the mayor said he wanted to see more data and information brought back to council to further discuss the issue before committing to taking a specific position.
Funke also asked if sending council’s submission, once approved, to other small municipalities would be possible, which Nelson confirmed.
Warnock’s motion carried.
In a followup phone interview with Funke, she said her primary concern is what kind of impact the sudden introduction of the cost of policing would have on the town’s budget.
“Right now, we don’t pay for our policing,” she said.
While larger municipalities led the initial charge for change, she said the proposed model does not actually reflect any reductions for bigger centres, merely the introduction of charges to small municipalities, including counties and municipal districts.
“We have to brace for that in our budget,” she said, adding that could mean further revising service levels.
“It’s a juggling act to try and get everyone happy, but not cost them a lot of money.”
Having not heard much backlash from other small communities over the proposed changes to the police funding model, Funke hopes bringing more attention to the issue will result in a more widespread rallying call to action.
