ONTARIO — Utility and street improvements will see major investments in the city of Ontario in 2023.
Finance committee chair and councilman at-large Dave Rehfeldt said the city is committing $950,000 to improve the municipal water lines after an October line break shut down the city’s water for about a day.
“Those big capital projects to improve the water system really take the numbers up,” Rehfeldt said. “But we’ve got the funds to do it — we’ve been building water funds for a lot of years.”
Ontario council members approved a $19.5 million budget Wednesday night, which was about $700,000 less than the temporary budget passed in December, and about $2 million more than last year’s budget.
“The operating funds only went up about 8%, which is in line with inflation,” Rehfeldt said.
This year’s budget accounts for increased salary and maintenance costs, which increased about 35% from the previous year.
The 2023 budget comes in under expected revenue, which Rehfeldt said will help the city avoid borrowing from its reserve.
“Considering inflationary costs, revenue is not much higher, but I think we’re still in a good spot for this year,” he said.
Trae Turner, chief of community living for the Area Agency on Aging, presented information about the agency’s upcoming levy that will be on Ontario’s primary election ballot May 2.
The levy is a renewal for $1.5 million over five years, which would translate to $53 in annual property tax for every $100,000 of property value.
“We want to make sure to stress that this is not an increase at all, this is not a new tax and it’s certainly something that’s needed,” Turner said.
The Area Agency on Aging senior services levy first passed in 2008 and was renewed in 2013 and 2018. Turner said the levy’s revenue helps the agency assist residents ages 60 and older with in-home services, medication and transportation needs.
“More baby boomers are aging into that bracket and the levy funding is going to be essential for sustaining our services,” he said.
Ontario Mayor Randy Hutchinson closed the council meeting Wednesday saying residents will be mailed letters informing them of the city’s gas aggregation agreement with Interstate Gas Supply, Inc.
The program will charge a price of $0.618 cost per cubic foot in natural gas starting in May. Residents will be automatically enrolled in the program unless they choose to opt out, which the letter will inform them how to do.
The city of Ontario will also offer brush and limb pickup for residents between March 20-24.
