The Mayor of Tache says ratepayers could be in store for a small tax increase.

Robert Rivard says council is proposing a two per cent increase in this year's tax levy. If approved, that would work out to an increase of about $30 per homeowner this year, depending on where you live. Rivard says on a home assessed at $280,000, ratepayers in the LUD of Landmark will pay an extra $31.75, while in the LUD of Lorette it is $30.49 and in the rural area it would amount to an increase of $28.73 in taxes.

According to Rivard, the municipality has a lot planned for 2015, prompting the proposed increase. One such project will see crews begin preparing the site for a future seniors home in Lorette. Rivard notes $500,000 will be spent getting the site ready, including adding water and sewer. The property is located behind the municipal office. Rivard says if the seniors housing complex is never built, the municipality could still sell that as a serviced site and not lose money.

Also in Lorette, Rivard says they plan to start with their lagoon improvements. He notes the lagoon is close to capacity and yet there are new developments in the works. The cost of the project is more than $2 million. Rivard says they will get started in 2015 with hopes of getting some grants to help with the overall cost.

Over in Landmark, Rivard says there are some well improvements and upgrades to their force main, to the tune of $300,000. Also in that community, the municipality plans to set aside $225,000 in order to start up a reserve fund for their new water system.

Rivard says in 2015, the municipality has also budgeted $400,000 for community complex improvements. This includes major renovations to the Lorette Community Complex, a new roof in the Landmark Arena, a new heating system at the Ross Community Centre and a playground for the Ste.Genevieve Community Centre.

The municipality is also hoping to spend $400,000 on road improvements throughout Tache in 2015 as well as hire some extra staff. That includes a Rec Director to coordinate their recreational facilities, a water and waste and landfill engineer supervisor and someone for their Public Works department.

Council plans to present its financial plan at an open house April 21st. Rivard says the goal is to then give final reading.