Alix village council heard a report that concerns over municipal population figures may be subsiding. The report was made at the Oct. 3 regular meeting of council.
The topic of census came up during a report from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Michelle White regarding the Parkland Regional Library (PRL) proposed 2025 budget.
“PRL requires a council resolution regarding their budget proposal each year,” stated the CAO’s memo to council.
“The proposed PRL budget has a 63 cent per capita increase to the municipal requisition. This would mean going from $9.18 to $9.81 per person.
“For 2024 the requisition was $7,665.30 (based on a population of 835 and a rate of $9.18), the 2025 requisition would be $7,592.94 (based on a population of 774 and a rate of $9.81).
“Overall, PRL expenses are expected to increase by 1.9 per cent in 2025. This compares to the current rate of inflation of approximately 2.7 per cent,” stated White.
The CAO noted a provincial government census that apparently didn’t reflect reality had an effect on the Village of Alix.
“The small reduction in requisition for 2025 is a reflection of how far off Treasury Board population estimates were for Alix,” stated the CAO’s report.
“The Municipal Affairs population list being used by PRL for the 2025 requisition does not reflect our municipal census population of 781 because our 2024 census submission has not been verified by Municipal Affairs yet.”
Readers should note the CAO refers to a census the village conducted itself in 2024.
A number of municipalities over the past few years voiced concern about Alberta Treasury Board estimates of local populations as being out of whack; municipalities voiced concern about “estimates” because grants owing to the communities and requisitions to be paid by local taxpayers to Edmonton were being calculated to some extent on these “estimates.”
It was noted in the PRL budget memo the organization has returned to using Municipal Affairs population numbers instead of those from the Treasury Board.
Some municipalities felt they were being short-changed on grants or over-charged on requisitions.
Coun. Gilliat, Village of Alix council representative to the PRL, noted changes to the regional library system’s budget were due to the census controversy apparently being straightened out and the PRL tweaking its pay grid.
Gilliat, who noted at previous council meetings some PRL member municipalities were quite outspoken in their concerns about what they saw as flawed census results, stated the 2025 PRL budget was approved at the board level with no concerns, suggesting the census issue may be subsiding.
Other points within the PRL proposed 2025 budget included internet connection fees increasing due to member library demand, econtent increased due to member library demand, building maintenance fees increased primarily due to the cost of maintenance of an elevator at PRL’s headquarters and other items.
Councillors unanimously approved the PRL proposed 2025 budget as it was presented.
Stu Salkeld
Local Journalism Initiative reporter
ECA Review