The Town of Outlook has unveiled its 2020 operating budget, sharing with The Outlook a summation of the dollar figures associated with revenues and future expenditures.
Among the many numbers listed in the document, one that stands out under Loan Proceeds for 2020 is a total of $4.35 million, an amount that will contribute to two major infrastructure projects for the Town that require some hefty dollar figures behind them.
First up is the new fire hall for the Outlook Fire Department, a project that carries a current price tag of $2.5 million. The remaining $1.85 million will be used for a new raw water intake/water treatment plant upgrade project, an amount which Administrator Huguette Lutz says will only be borrowed if the Town is successful in obtaining grant funding.
The road to a new fire hall for the Town of Outlook has been one with its own unique twists and turns. At a banquet honoring the Outlook department in June 2018, the project was on the minds of most in the Civic Centre, knowing very well how the department is making the best out of the current situation as it relates to space and housing their equipment.
It wasn’t until the November 27, 2019 meeting of town council that an official decision was reached regarding the project, with the Town passing the motion, “That we build a standalone fire hall to be located adjacent to the Town shop.”
A start date for construction of the new fire hall has not been announced.
With these combined totals and other numbers listed for the budgeted year ahead, the Town’s total revenues for 2020 come in at a total of $9,793,407. This makes for a significant jump up compared to previous years; $4,283,362 was budgeted in 2017 ($4,974,090 actual), $4,700,263 in 2018 ($4,915,666 actual), and $5,144,231 in 2019 ($5,518,257 actual).
The Town’s total expenditures for 2020 tell a similar tale in the data. The most significant jump is in the budgeted numbers for Protective Services, which carries an amount of $2,920,050 and can be attributed to the new fire hall project. As well, Transportation Services is getting a sizable bump up, with a budgeted total for 2020 of $1,876,690, an increase of more than $760,000 from the 2019 budget.
The total budgeted expenditures for 2020 come to $9,527,395, compared to $5,366,521 last year ($4,282,211 actual).
With budgeted revenue versus expenditures, the Town is projecting a surplus of $266,012.
Please see the accompanying images below detailing the Town of Outlook’s budget summation for more detailed informaton.
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