The Municipality of Grey Highlands will order a new grader in 2023, but will collect half the funds to pay for it in 2024.
At its committee of the whole budget meeting on Jan. 25, council approved an order-it-now and pay-for-it later plan for a new grader to replace the 2010 CAT grader at the municipality’s roads depot in Rocklyn.
The proposed budget for 2023 included $528,000 in funding from the tax levy for the new grader. The total project cost was estimated at $578,000 with a $50,000 trade-in value.
After considerable discussion on the matter, council decided to include $264,000 in the 2023 budget for the vehicle, with the other half of the cost being pushed to the 2024 budget.
Mayor Paul McQueen suggested the half-and-half approach for the purchase.
“That’s just an option we’ve done in the past,” said McQueen.
Director of Transportation and Public Spaces Chris Cornfield estimated that if the municipality ordered the grader in 2023, it likely would not be delivered until 2024. He said it was possible the municipality might get lucky and there would be a vehicle on the line that would meet their needs that would be available earlier. Cornfield also confirmed that the municipality pays for the vehicle on delivery and is not required to place a deposit on the order.
After receiving the information from the director, deputy mayor Dane Nielsen moved that council proceed with the RFP for the grader with half the cost included in the 2023 capital budget and half in the 2024 budget.
Nielsen said it was a practical solution to help lower the 2023 budget impact, while still proceeding with the replacement of the vehicle.
“In my eyes, it works,” he said.
Nielsen’s motion passed in a 6-1 vote, with Coun. Dan Wickens opposed. The decision still requires formal council approval when the budget is officially adopted. Council will continue budget deliberations at a committee of the whole meeting on Jan. 30 at 10 a.m.
