As with other municipalities this time of year, the Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton concluded its budget for 2016.

Reeve Harold Foster outlines the changes.

"We're looking at some increases. So, we're looking at re-balancing I guess. The new assessment of farmland went up and average of 37%, and residences went up 7%. So, it's going to create a re-balancing. Our tax increase on farmland and residences will pretty much stay the same."

Foster notes incoming revenue through taxation has increased.

"It will increase some. And the reasons for that, first of all, we're putting an additional $400,000 into drainage because of the high moisture conditions between the two lakes here. We get these excess rainfalls and we have to have ways for moving the weather out more quickly. So, there's $400,000 there. That's going to be a one time deal."

They also increased their firefighters wages by $2.00 an hour. Foster explains their place of work was paying them more than the firefighters wages. He says they actually lost money when called out to a fire during work hours. So, they tried narrowing that somewhat.

Foster notes the other major issue was landfill expansion. He says they have problems with the evaporation pond due to the high amount of moisture in the area. Foster explains the pond fails to gain ground, and remains full necessitating the excavation of a second one. He adds their landpacker also started to cave in, requiring a replacement.

He says council also allocated $100,000 to purchase a loader for yard work. Currently they're loading 20 foot culverts by hand onto a trailer, and they need a loader in the yard to handle that. Foster adds there's also a stockpile of gravel in the yard to be used in emergency situations. Some equipment's required to load that, since they've been using their backhoe that's been out on jobs most of the time. Foster says that money will come out of the capital reserves, so it's paid over time.

Generally speaking, the council doesn't feels comfortable with any increases, but they have to pay attention to what must be paid for, and they don't have a choice. Most on the council are farmers, he notes, and farmland is taking a fairly significant hit.

Generally speaking, some residences will see a decrease and others a slight increase. And the total assessment is significantly high. Foster adds their mill rate has gone down to help resident homeowners.