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Ponoka Town Council Approves 2024 Budget

Ponoka Town Council approved the 2024 Town of Ponoka Budget at its regular meeting this week. 

“During budget deliberations, Council and Administration worked to find efficiencies and arrive at a lean, fiscally responsible budget. The 2024 Budget balances and delivers on key priorities in the Town’s Strategic Plan by carefully managing spending while continuing to fund essential services that our citizens rely on,” said Town of Ponoka Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Lund. 

“The Budget also invests in maintaining and upgrading key infrastructure to best serve our community and position our town to grow and thrive into the future,” she added.

The total amount of the 2024 Budget is $26,150,422, which includes an Operating Budget of $22,914,360 and a Capital Budget of $3,236,062. 

Assessment growth of residential and non-residential properties that generated tax revenue of $298,000 helped to maintain property tax rates at a 4.9 per cent increase as initially approved by Council last fall in the Interim Budget. The 2024 property tax rate equates to an annual increase of $41 per $100,000 of assessed property value for residential properties, and $53 per $100,000 of assessed value for commercial properties. 

“Council worked very hard to keep property taxes as low as possible while continuing to fund all the key services that citizens expect,” said Town of Ponoka Mayor Kevin Ferguson. He noted that the increase in property taxes helps offset ongoing inflationary costs.

Infrastructure Renewal  

The 2024 Budget once again incudes a solid infrastructure renewal program. “The Town is committed to maintaining and replacing key infrastructure in our community each year as determined by our asset management planning,” said Mayor Ferguson. 

He noted that the majority of Ponoka’s capital and infrastructure projects in the Budget are usually funded through provincial and federal grant funding. However, in the 2024 Budget, more than a third of the funding for those projects is scheduled to come from Town reserves due to a decline in federal and provincial grant funding over the past few years. 

Some of the capital and infrastructure projects planned for 2024 include:

  • Ponoka’s Annual Pavement and Concrete Improvement Program – This includes annual maintenance and improvement of Town roadways and sidewalks throughout the community;
  • Expanded Skate Park – An expanded skate park is planned at the existing Hamilton Skate Park location. The new expanded all-wheel park is expected to include the space currently occupied by the former Town of Ponoka recycling yard. The proposed design for the expanded park would also see the sidewalk in front of the park extended south to connect with the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Battle River and connects with the river valley trail system;
  • Waterworks System Improvements – Including ongoing equipment rehabilitation at Town pump stations and reservoirs to ensure optimum operation and reliability of the system; and planning and analysis for future improvements to the Town’s Wastewater Treatment System; 
  • Sports Field Maintenance and Upgrades – Improvements to ball diamonds and soccer pitches, including new lighting at the river valley ball diamonds, as well as player bench covers and the development of design improvements for the Lucas Heights soccer pitches;
  • Lions Centennial Park Upgrades – Development of design improvements for the park which will be guided by public consultation in 2024. Construction will occur in the future based on design and funding approval by Town Council;
  • Design Development of New Civic Square – A new civic square design for the green space beside and behind the old library building at 48 Avenue and 51 Street will be guided by public consultation in 2024. Future construction will occur pending design and funding approval by Council.

2024 Budget Aligns with Public Consultation Results

 The 2024 Town of Ponoka Budget aligns with the results of the Town’s annual public consultation process, which included Coffee with Council events, an online Budget Open House and a Citizen Input Survey that invited Ponoka citizens to give their input on top priorities they wanted Town Council to consider as it deliberated the 2024 Budget. 

The top priorities identified by citizens included:

  • Community Safety
  • Parks and Recreation
  • Growth and Economic Health
  • Roads, sidewalks and trails

“Citizen input is a critical part of the budget planning process,” said Mayor Ferguson. He noted that public input and priorities identified in the budget survey results last year were carefully considered and addressed in the 2024 Budget through:

  • Ongoing upgrades and improvements to Town infrastructure, including roads and sidewalks throughout Ponoka; 
  • Planned improvements to parks and recreation facilities; 
  • Continued funding of the Town’s new Protective Services Manager and full-time Community Peace Officer who continue to support public safety in partnership with the Ponoka RCMP; and 
  • Ongoing funding of the Town’s New Resident and Business Attraction Incentive Programs to attract new businesses and residents to our community.  

“I think this Budget does a very good job of balancing the needs of our community while positioning Ponoka for continued growth and success,” said Mayor Ferguson.