Lumby has released its financial report for 2016.
It shows the village has done well, coming in with a smaller debt.
Mayor Kevin Acton says when it comes to debt ratio, there’s less than 260 dollars per capita of debt.
Acton says they’re always looking for ways to save money while improving productivity.
“Instead of hiring a contractor like an engineering firm to oversee some of the work that’s happened in Lumby last year, one of the big projects, is we actually hired an engineer as an employee to oversee some of the works on a part time basis.”
That meant the village saved money by paying an engineer’s hourly rate instead of a firm’s rate and made an engineer available to the public works department for six months.
Acton says the village will look at doing more of that in the future.
When it comes to salaries, the budget was hit a bit.
But Kevin Action says that was due to an even t beyond they’re control, creating an extra pay period.
” That happens about every 11 years or so it seems. It accounts for almost a 20 per cent bump in the budget.”
Total remuneration and expenses for staff came in at almost 1.3 million dollars.
Then highest paid employee is Chief Administrative Officer Tom Kadla with pay and expenses totaling 141 thousand 59 dollars and 19 cents.
Acton’s salary was just under 14 thousand dollars, while his expenses came in at 12 thousand 274 dollars and 16 cents.
Much of that was to attend the UBCM and SILGA conventions.
He says having the opportunity to meet other elected representatives pays off.
“Just sitting around the table and you’re talking about water works with somebody from Grand Forks and all of a sudden they say oh yeah we did this and it really can make a huge savings to the community to find out what’s been working and what hasn’t been working. You know the old don’t reinvent the wheel or don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.”
Total council salary and expenses came in at 77 thousand, 118 dollars and 69 cents.
The report also shows what looks to be a surplus.
But Acton says some of that money moving forward are grants that need to be paid for work that was done.
