On Monday the draft budgets for 11 town departments were approved by the Bracebridge administration and finance committee and will now be consolidated into the draft town budget.

Increases were reported virtually across the board, with the most significant percentages coming from the administration and finance department, the fire department and the operations at Bird Mill Mews.

The administration and finance department reported a budget of $1,020,042, an increase of 18.6 per cent over 2007. That increase alone would amount to a jump of roughly two per cent on the overall tax rate.

The majority of the new expenses are related to staffing and equipment.

Treasurer Andy Nelan said, at a cost of $39,184, one of the largest new expenses is the cost of employing two treasurers at once. Nelan will retire in June, but new treasurer Carol Wakefield will work with Nelan until then, in an effort to make a smoother transition.

The department also expects to spend an additional $10,000 on computers, an increase of 46 per cent, and $14,000 on renovations, an increase of 180 per cent.

Nelan told the committee the computers are continually being replaced, and the department requires a new photocopier and computer programs for various municipal activities. He also said the town office will undergo renovations this year to make rooms soundproof where confidential business is being discussed.

The fire department is asking for $830,807, an increase of 9.3 per cent over its 2007 budget, and an increase of slightly under one per cent on the overall tax rate.

The primary reason for the increase is the department’s request for a full-time training officer, at $57,000 annually, including benefits.

Training duties are currently handled by a part-time firefighter, but according to Nelan most similarly sized municipalities in Ontario have a full-time officer to perform the work. Nelan pointed to the examples of Huntsville (four full-time staff and 18,280 people), Wasaga Beach (12 full-time staff and 15,029 people) and Cobourg (17 full-time staff and 18,200 people) as examples. With the addition, Bracebridge will have three full-time staff.

The 2008 budget for the Bird Mill Mews is up to $26,520, an increase of 20.12 per cent.

While some of that stems from the increased cost of gas for the facility, the bulk comes from a $15,000 plan to renovate the public washrooms in 2008.

Nelan also took a few minutes to explain some of the broader issues surrounding municipal taxes.

In Bracebridge, taxpayers on full services shell out 19.4 per cent of their municipal tax bill to school boards, 31.1 per cent to the Town of Bracebridge and 49.5 per cent to the District of Muskoka, said Nelan. While the municipal bill pays for services such as road maintenance, building inspections and library services, the district deals with items like policing, sewage treatment and waste management.

Nelan also broke down the town’s sources of revenue. The vast majority in 2007 ($8,025,799) came from property taxes, followed by permits, licences and fees ($2,714,200).

The town’s overall taxable assessment grew two per cent in 2007 to $2,042,163,800, said Nelan. That increase gives the town a two per cent increase in revenue, without touching taxes, said Nelan.

The committee was generally satisfied with the proposed budgets. Councillor Graydon Smith questioned whether Nelan had taken into account the upcoming negotiations with OPSEU workers, whose contract expires at the end of May.

Nelan said there has been some money budgeted for a possible increase in salaries, but how much it will cost won’t be clear until negotiations begin.

Nelan said he can’t comment on how the overall municipal tax picture is shaping up for 2008, as he has not seen the budgets from each department.

The largest expenses by far last year came from the roads ($5,143,578) and culture and recreation ($6,404,583) budgets, which have yet to be released. Nelan said there is no reason to expect those budgets will decrease significantly, as both departments have large projects slated for 2008.

Nelan said he expects to have a complete draft budget ready for the next administration and finance committee meeting in three weeks.