Michael Beal

a man at a desk with a microphone and laptop

Tantramar’s $2 million capital budget is less than half of what’s needed, says Treasurer Beal

November 22, 2024 by Erica Butler

In a meeting Thursday afternoon, Tantramar council heard about the proposed 2025 capital budget, which includes $1.75 million in spending on a variety of items including a new 5-ton snow plow and work on the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre, plus $250,000 to be put away for future major projects.

Treasurer Michael Beal told councillors that the $2 million capital budget covers only about 40% of what staff have suggested is needed in the municipality. “In our capital requests from managers in 2025 we had $4.965 million in requests,” Beal told council. “When we get our asset management plan redone, that number could be 5 million, or could be higher, in order to retrofit all of our assets within a time period of their useful life.”

a man sits at a table with a mic, nameplate reading Barry Hicks, and papers in front of him. He's looking to his left.

Tax bills proposed to go up across the board, with extra increases in former local service districts

November 19, 2024 by Erica Butler

Property owners in Sackville and Dorchester will see their 2025 tax bills increase on par with their assessment numbers this year, as their proposed tax rate remains mostly flat (dropping slightly by about a half cent per $100 of assessed value). But in the former local service districts (LSDs), residents will not only see increases due to assessments, but also from a proposed increase in tax rate of 5 cents per $100 in assessed value.

Councillor Barry Hicks voiced concerns over the proposed increase at a council meeting on Monday. “The LSDs are going up with no services supplied,” said Hicks on Monday. “I don’t understand how we can keep raising… without giving them some services.”

Treasurer Michael Beal explained that the increase in tax rate for LSDs is an intentional effect of amalgamation, and will continue for years to come.

A red building with four large white garage doors in front of a stand of trees.

Tantramar okays buying $900k fire truck, but now needs a bigger fire hall

June 14, 2024 by Erica Butler

On Tuesday, Tantramar council approved over $1 million in spending for projects in Dorchester, including the reconstruction of Station Road and a new pumper truck for Dorchester Fire.

But now the race is on to get a new fire hall built in Dorchester, one that can accommodate the new pumper truck, which will be too large to fit into the current Dorchester Fire Hall. Treasurer Michael Beal says the municipality should be on track to complete the new fire hall before the $900,000 pumper truck is delivered. “The key is we want to purchase our fire trucks to fight the fires that they need to fight,” said Beal in defense of the plan, “and not to fit inside of buildings.”

Both projects hit snags with budget limitations before they were approved, but because of cautious budgeting for 2024, the municipality has the money to cover them.

Fire dispatching deal with Codiac police puts an end to decades long ‘handshake’ agreement

May 10, 2024 by Erica Butler

A “handshake” deal to have local fire dispatching services done by Sackville hospital administration staff is being replaced with a new agreement with the Codiac Regional Policing Authority, at an increased cost of over $50,000.

Tantramar council approved the agreement recommendation by municipal staff at an unscheduled special council meeting last week.

Tantramar treasurer Michael Beal told council the agreement is not perfect, but he doesn’t see a better option, considering the hospital’s request to end their dispatching duties by June 30.

Two people, a man and a woman, stand next to each other in a beige coloured large room.

Squaring rising assessments with flat tax rates in Tantramar

January 24, 2024 by Erica Butler

CHMA talks with Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne and treasurer Michael Beal about why this year’s sharp rise in assessment values for residential property owners is not matched with a reduction in the tax rate.

“Five years ago, we were buying fire trucks for $350,000,” says Beal. “Our latest one is $800,000 for the exact same truck.”

Borne and Beal explain how rising municipal costs, assessment spike protection, and provincial and federal properties in the municipality affect overall tax revenue.

The front of a concrete and glass building with a sign reading "Sackville Town Hall"

Residents asked to weigh in on Tantramar’s 2024 budget

September 12, 2023 by Erica Butler

Town staff are working on the first ever homegrown budget for the amalgamated municipality of Tantramar. The current year’s budget was written and approved by the provincial government, but for 2024, it’s local staff and council that will get final say on how to spend approximately $15.5 million on behalf of the municipality.

As part of the process, staff are seeking some input from citizens. CHMA called up town treasurer Mike Beal and corporate services director Kieran Miller to find out more about what they have planned, starting with a public meeting slated for September 19, inviting residents to weigh in on budget priorities.

Residents interested in speaking directly to council on September 19 are being asked to email the clerk’s office in advance to get on the list, and will have up to five minutes to speak. “It’s not a lot of time,” says Beal, “but it gives an opportunity for even individuals to come and pinpoint a specific item that they’d like to get on council’s radar as we prepare the first draft of a 2024 budget for Tantramar.”

“The meeting is an opportunity for any citizens and groups or organizations to come and give their feedback on things they’d like to see happen within the municipality,” says Beal. The deadline to register is September 12, but Beal says there’s a possibility of getting on the list after that depending on how many presentations are scheduled.

For those less inclined to public speaking, the town is also asking for input via an online survey which asks residents to choose where they’d like to see enhanced or reduced services by department, and also to choose their top three spending priorities from a long list.

Miller says staff will summarize the results once the survey closes on September 22. “We’re just going to look and see if there’s any common themes from the information submitted, if there’s anything that’s not there that we thought would be,” says Miller.

The survey also collects demographic information which Miller says will not impact that results, but is just there to make sure the survey reaches a diverse group of people. “It just helps us know who’s submitting the survey, who’s engaging, and then who we’re not getting, so we can try and figure out how to reach those residents,” says Miller. “Each voice has the same importance.”

The survey is online but also available on paper with copies available at Sackville and Dorchester libraries as well as town hall.

Miller says it’s also possible for residents to share feedback via social media or by contacting councillors directly.