Champlain Township has ended 2019 with an operating surplus of $98,693. It had an accounting surplus of $819,613.
The township collected $14,274,916 in 2019, compared to $13,651,589 in taxes in 2018, a 4.6 per cent increase in total taxes collected in 2019, compared to 2018. Of this amount, $6,635,343 was collected for the United Counties of Prescott and Russell and school boards. From 2017 to 2018, the township recorded a 4.76 per cent increase in taxes collected.
After remitting the counties’ share of taxes and school board taxes, the township had a net taxation of $7,639,573 for its operations and capital expenditures.
User fees were $3,970,892 in 2019, an 8.6 per cent decrease from $4,344,457 collected in 2018. Government grants and payments from other municipalities, including a loss on disposal of tangible capital assets ($252,401), created actual revenues of $16,334,309, compared to 15,636,576 in 2018.
Champlain Township’s expenses totaled $15,514,696, compared to $15,459,976 in 2018. Expenses were $12,642,391 in 2017.
Recreation and cultural services cost $1,640,443 in 2019, up from $1,619,651 in 2018. Recreation and cultural services cost $1,323,541 in 2017. Planning and zoning cost $277,313 in 2019, compared with $499,927 in 2018. Since last year, Champlain Township has hired a senior planner, reducing the cost of contracting planning work to a planning/consulting company. In addition, the township had expenditures of $333,734 related to drain maintenance in 2018, which will be invoiced to land owners, compared to $48,000 in 2019.
At the end of 2019, the township’s reserves and reserve funds stood at $3,959,959 up from $3,314,318 at the end of 2018.
Reserves:
Working Capital: $415,155
Municipal elections: $10,000
Fire department: $267,907
Infrastructure: $1,636,464
Equipment: $41,500
Winter maintenance: $241,043
Water and sewer: $1,120,185
Recreation program: $101,305
Roads: 0
Library: $4,713
Total: $3,838,272
Reserve funds:
Parks: $822
Sacha’s Park Fund: 0
Tangible Capital Assets (Vankleek Hill ward): $120,865
Library
The Champlain Township Library ended 2019 with an operating surplus of $13,441; it had an accounting surplus of $63,604.
Revenues for 2019 were $264,793, compared to $196,547 in 2018. The municipal contribution for operating expenses was $179,256 in 2019, compared to $169,547 in 2018. The township contributed $43,535 for brick work. Non-resident fees, book fees, memberships and fines were $4,329 in 2019, compared to $3,659 in 2018.
Expenses were $201,189 in 2019, compared to 202,125 in 2018.
Library salaries, wages and benefits increased to $123,299, up from $120,326 in 2018.
An amount of $54,535 was invested in tangible capital assets in 2019 (replacement of the brick wall of east side of Champlain Library building in Vankleek Hill).
