Lake Of Bays comes in with a 6% tax increase for 2023
Lake of Bays Council approved the 2023 Draft Budget in the March 14, 2023, meeting.
The Draft was initially presented and discussed in the March 6th and 7th special meetings, which addressed concerns about catching up on matters concerning the Fire Department and Parks and Recreation needs.
According to the report highlights, “The Township is attempting to catch up on addressing numerous matters that clearly should have been addressed with the reserve funds over the last 10 years or so.”
Fire Department needs included replacing a 2005 rescue vehicle, costing $230,000, four breathing units, at $432,000, eight sets of bunker gear, at $90,000, and exhaust extractors, at $90,000.
Needs of the Park and Recreation Department include putting $60,000 toward replacing an eighteen-year-old pick up truck, $40,000 toward constructing an office for the department superintendent, $100,000 to repair docks, walkways and shelters, and $120,000 to replace the roof of the Baysville Public Library.
The annual budget also includes a 6% increase on resident tax rates.
Council member concerns about the budget included putting $10,000 of funding toward the Dorset Health Hub.
Councillor, Rick Brooks, expressed concern about not having received necessary financial reports from the Hub. He inquired about why that much of the budget is going to them, “when they are not presenting us what we asked for.”
Council concurred that the rewards of the Hub are of essential contribution to the community, and that plans to receive the required reports are in progress.
Council members also expressed relief about catching up with the neglected of the Fire and Recreation areas.
Councillor, Nancy Tapley, said, “I’m horrified that we’re behind in certain projects and it’s good to get caught up.”
