Brock approves 2024 municipal budget

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

BROCK: After weeks of careful deliberation, Brock councillors recently approved the 2024 municipal budget, with an increase of approximately 3.97 percent.

It is important to note the increase represents how much the total municipal budget is increasing, not the property tax bill for local homeowners.

Council approved the budget at their meeting, on the morning of Monday, March 4th.

The portion of the total tax bill a homeowner pays, annually, in Brock Township, is approximately 37 percent, the Region of Durham and School Boards make up the difference. The budget increase will result in a 1.5 percent increase to a residents’ total property tax bill. This will show itself in approximately $57 more a year, for the average home assessed at $300,000, or approximately $19.15 per year, for each $100,000 of residential assessment.

Councillors praised the work of staff over the past several months, for their diligent work on the municipal budget which saw the tax levy pared down, by approximately half, once the final document had been approved.

“Staff did a lot of heavy lifting here. They did a lot of work on this budget, going back months,” commented Mayor Walter Schummer. “I want to continue the thanks, [right] down to the residents. We had great input from residents, and that’s important because it’s largely their money we’re spending.”

The total budget for 2024 is $29,024,712, of which a total of $10,713,733 is funded by tax levy and is used by the following Township Departments: Planning and Building, Corporate & IT, Fire, Protection and Crossing Guards, the Brock Public Library, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Public Buildings.

The 2024 budget also includes capital projects, totalling $13,845,000, including roads and bridges projects/fleet replacement of $3,151,000, Parks and Recreation projects of $10,370,000 and Fire and Emergency Services equipment of $324,000.