Pincher Creek Emergency Services Commission 2017 budget passed

Chris Davis - At the February 28 meeting of the council for the MD of Pincher Creek, Reeve and Pincher Creek Emergency Services Committee member Brian Hammond said the 2017 Pincher Creek Emergency Services Commission (PCESC) budget passed third and final reading at the February 23 meeting of the Commission committee. At the February 14 meeting of MD council, councillor Fred Schoening was appointed as an alternate member of the committee, and he attended the February 23 meeting in place of MD Deputy Reeve Terry Yagos.

The committee includes MD and Town representatives, as it is a joint endeavour of both municipalities. The budget lists total revenue of Fire and Ambulance services before levies as $1,993,783 and total expenses for services, salaries, wages, equipment, facilities, and administration as $2,671,533. The MD will pay a total levy of $438,029.82 including 64.63% of the Fire levy. The Town will pay a total levy of $239,720.18 including 35.37% of the Fire levy.



2017 PCESC Budget highlights

Ambulance Revenue:
Ambulance sale of services = $200,000
Ambulance - AHS payments = $1,466,283

• Ambulance revenue combined = $1.666.283, a 5.85% increase compared to budgeted amount for last year.

Fire Revenue:
Sale of service = $110,000
Transfer from Capital reserve = $108,000
Ambulance facility rent/lease = $66,500
Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA) grant = $43,000

• Fire revenue combined = $327,500

Total revenue before levies = 1,993,783

MD Levies:

MD of Pincher Creek pays 64.63% of Fire levy.

Operations portion = $308.769.82

Capital portion = $129,260

• Total levy MD = $438,029.82

Town Levies:

Town of Pincher Creek pays 35.37% of Fire levy.

Operations portion = $168,980.18

Capital portion = $70,740

• Total levy Town = $239,720.18

Total revenue = $2,671,533 - a 20.74% increase compared to budgeted amount for last year.

Expenses:

Ambulance = $1,666,283 total, a 7.65% increase over last year's budgeted amount.  

Wages of $1,070,500 is the largest single Ambulance budget item.

Fire = $688.750 total. an increase of 9.07% from last year's budgeted amount.

Salaries and wages of $257,244 is the largest single Fire budget item.

Commission Committee expenses include $15,000 for Administration, $6,000 committee member compensation for meetings, $1000 committee member related expenses, for a total of $8,500.

• Commission Capital Expenditure subtotal = $308,000
• Total expenses = $2,671,533

*council meeting date corrected for accuracy