NEW MUNICIPAL BUDGET INCLUDES TAX REDUCTIONS AND ENHANCED SERVICES
July 28, 2009

SHELBURNE – The Council for the Municipality of Shelburne approved a capital and operating budget for 2009-2010 which focuses on tax reductions and new strategic investments. The residential and commercial rates will be reduced by two cents per $100 of assessment.

The new budget also allocates money for strategic investments in areas that have been determined priorities by Council; health care and economic development. The Municipality will invest in health care services for the first time. The Municipality of Shelburne will invest $170,000 for its share of a new medical clinic for the area, and the budget also allocates $80,000 for physician recruitment. Given that health care is a provincial responsibility we will work with our provincial partners, the District Health Authority, and the local physician recruitment committee on both physician recruitment and the development of a new medical clinic.

The Municipality of Shelburne will also invest in strategic community development and economic stimulus priorities. We will immediately begin work on the construction of a new sewage treatment plant with an approximate value of $1million dollars. We have allocated resources to develop tourism infrastructure, to participate in the tourism development coordinator position, and to develop a municipal energy strategy. The Municipality will also begin the implementation of our strategic plan which is scheduled to be finalized this fiscal year.

Council has identified the Shelburne Industrial Park as a piece of strategic economic infrastructure and we will be taking steps to develop the Park. The Municipality will be negotiating a purchase of land in the Park from the Government of Nova Scotia, we will be providing sewage and other services to the Park, we will be studying cheaper alternative sources of energy for Park tenants and we will be developing a marketing strategy for the Industrial Park.

The Municipality’s largest budgetary expense continues to be non discretionary funds including police protection ($549,635), fire services ($383,144), and education ($939,074). The 2009-2010 budget also adds money to our equipment reserve and allocates funds for a by law review.

Contact: Kirk Cox
Chief Administrative Officer
902.875.6776
kcox@municipalityofshelburne.ca

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