WESTLOCK COUNTY – The county is considering eight capital projects in its preliminary 2025 budget discussions totalling $1.84 million.
The capital projects would be funded through a combination of reserves, grants, and sale proceeds, Westlock County Manager of Finance Faraja Amanda said in his report to council during their Committee of the Whole meeting on Nov. 12.
Administration recommends that the county replace both Fawcett and Jarvie trucks for fire and emergency services at a cost of about $500,000. A provincial grant of $409,793 would help cover the costs, as well as $45,207 from an insurance claim for the Fawcett truck and $45,000 from the sale of the Jarvie unit.
The county’s two physical servers need to be replaced no later than 2025 at a cost of $60,000. The warranty on one server expired in December 2023 and was extended to cover 2024. The second server has an expiration date of December 2024. The money would be transferred from operating reserves to fund the capital purchase.
Approximately $93,000 is needed for asset management planning. This involves hiring an expert in the field and getting software for implementation. This will help in the county’s decision making when it comes to repairing or replacing assets. The decisions will be based on condition inspection reports, asset maintenance history and risk assessments. A provincial grant would cover the entire amount.
Two large projects that weren’t completed in 2024 need to be finished at Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill. The concrete pads at the bottom of each staircase need to be replaced and regrading done of the perimeter of the chalet. The cost is estimated to be $25,000 and would come from capital reserves.
Following playground inspections in August 2024, approximately $30,000 in repairs need to be completed for safety purposes. The money would be transferred from capital reserves.
The truck used by the Transportation Services department should be replaced at an estimated cost of $65,000. Of that, $5,000 would come from the sale of assets and $60,000 from capital reserves.
Annual road maintenance for proper drainage and to address sub grade issues are recommended at a cost of about $600,000, which is expected to come from a provincial grant.
Approximately $468,635 is needed for bridge maintenance with funding for the project coming from a federal grant. Westlock County manages 205 bridges and inspects each bridge every five years to determine the overall integrity of the structure and complete proactive repairs and replacements.
