Wawa Municipal Council is expected to approve the municipality's 2019 operating budget tonight.
Council's holding a special meeting with several items on the agenda, almost all relating to the operating budget, particularly resolution to approve the operating budget that was presented to Council on June 6th.
It proposes a 2.11% property tax increase, mostly attributed to lower provincial government funding or grants.
Also on the agenda is a new schedule of fees for various municipal services - some fees will be staying the same, though others are set to rise 2-5%, mostly to meet inflation.
Water rates are set to rise 4.5%, a rise questioned by some councillors, though C-A-O-Treasurer Maury O'Neill explained that the water system is currently operating at a $200-thousand deficit - even though provincial law requires it to pay for itself through user fees - but a 10-20% rate increase would be needed to eliminate that deficit, a rise considered too harsh - instead, smaller but steady increases are planned to eliminate that deficit.
O'Neill also noted plans to use the Mission for a pilot of water meter-based billing, hoping a proposal for that project will be brought to Council in July.
Council's already approved this year's "capital budget", which covers infrastructure projects like the Waterfront Project and Toronto Avenue.
Tonight's meeting is open to the public, starting at 6:30 pm in Council Chambers.