La Broquerie residents will not be financially responsible for recovering the costs of an anticipated $17,000 in utility deficit from 2018.

Reeve Lewis Weiss explains that this deficit was initially caused by lagoon maintenance. When La Broquerie Council first realized the issue, they applied to the Public Utilities Board for permission to introduce a rate rider of $1.65 per residential equivalency unit. This extra tax was to be in place for the next three years until costs were recovered.

While the Public Utilities Board recognized this deficit, they varied the solution, asking council to instead take the funds from their own utility surplus.

“The Utility Board doesn’t really want us to run with a deficit,” explains Weiss, “and this was an available option that would take care of the issue immediately.”

To Weiss, this solution makes sense and he says council does not feel the cost will have a significant impact on their budget.

“There was no negative conversation about this during the council meeting so I think there is very little concern that this will be a problem.”

Weiss adds that the Public Utilities Board even commended the RM for being fiscally responsible enough to maintain this surplus.

Though the amount residents would have been taxed was quite small, they will now not be required to recoup these specific costs at all. “And any amount you don’t have to pay is a good amount,” laughs Weiss.

Should the actual deficit for 2018 be more than the anticipated $17,000, the RM must once again apply to the Public Utilities Board in order to adjust the recovery. 

Read more: Rate Rider Will Combat Lagoon Deficit In La Broquerie