THE focus of the 2014-2015 Mount Isa City Council budget is influenced by the water crisis and the improving of assets.
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These budgetary figures are according to Mayor Tony McGrady’s speech that he made at the budget meeting held last week:
Rates
Residential, sewerage and garbage rates increase by 4 per cent, and are close to federal and state consumer price indexes.
Business general rates are up 7.9 per cent.
Water rates increase 12 per cent and this does not include the $440 water utility charge.
The discount on sewerage and garbage rates has been cancelled.
The aged pensioner subsidy will increase by $80 a year to reduce the removal of the discount’s impact on senior citizens.
Water Utility Charge
The $440 levy will pay the costs of the filtration plant, which is costing the Mount Isa Water Board $272,000 a month.
The costs have been passed directly to the Mount Isa City Council because it uses Lake Moondarra for water supply. The levy has been spread equally to all ratepayers, instead of by charging by the amount used.
Cr McGrady said the charge will be cancelled when filtration of the water system is no longer needed.
It will not be needed when Lake Moondarra fills.
Water
The Mount Isa City Council has allocated $133,000 to sinking bores in council parks. These parks are Sunset Park, Play Way Park and Captain Cook Park. The state government has granted a further $77,000 for the bores. This will allow sporting bodies to train on improved surfaces.
It will also reduce the amount of fresh water being used on parks now and in the future.
Cr McGrady acknowledged the sporting bodies that are sinking bores in their own sporting areas.
The Mount Isa City Council will invest $1.7 million into upgrading water infrastructure of households.
This will improve water pressure in these households.
Council will continue to invest the $14.7 million scheme to utilise sewerage water for the beautification programs.
Waste water will be used on parks, gardens, sporting ovals and for industrial purposes, which previously used fresh water.
Council workforce
There is a reduction through national attrition of 30 positions from the council payroll.
The council workforce has been reduced from 214 to about 170.
The employees were not made redundant. After employees left the council, their positions were not filled.
MIETV
The Civic Centre, Outback at the Isa and Buchanan Park have been consolidated under one company.
Mount Isa City Council has allocated $2 million in the budget to the running of the company.
Cr McGrady believes this to be “a small cost saving” because no consumer price index increase has been allocated.
Roads and waste
A further $1.2 million has been allocated to upgrades of the sewerage system.
$3.5 million will be spent on upgrading city roads.
Other projects
$280,000 will be spent on upgrading the city library’s air conditioning.
The building has been renovated following the disastrous flooding.
The heating of the swimming pool has been completed at a cost of $320,000. Mount Isa Mines has paid $210,000 of the costs.
The council paid $110,000.
Ergon Energy and the council will work on improving the public street lighting around the suburbs. Cr McGrady did not state in his speech how much the improvements are expected to cost.
Consultation
Mount Isa Mines, the Chamber of Commerce and the Mount Isa City Council are securing consultation to advise on an economic package, which is to improve the economic viability of Mount Isa.
The council has committed $100,000 over two years on the venture.
