Photo: The Village of Forestburg council approved their 2026 capital plan after a discussion at the Apr. 9 regular council meeting. Pictured is the Battle River Train Excursions station. Rural Alberta Report/S.Salkeld

The Village of Forestburg council approved its 2026 capital plan after a discussion at the Apr. 9 regular council meeting.

Councillors heard a presentation from Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Dwight Dibben regarding the village’s 2026 capital plan. Readers should note the capital budget typically includes the infrastructure projects a municipality wishes to work on that year, plus the money needed for those items.

Dibben stated the 2026 capital plan requires council’s approval. As councillors perused the report, Dibben stated that the 47 Ave. W work was tendered in two phases but further noted that the cost of doing the entire project would exceed Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) funding that the Village of Forestburg received from the Government of Alberta.

The CAO stated that the provincial funding should be enough to pay for one phase of the proposed project. He did point out, though, that in the tender results there was a “significant” amount of money listed under “mobilization” and “demobilization,” which are usually expenses quoted by contractors to transport personnel, equipment, and materials to a job site and back.

Dibben stated that if the two phases of the 47 Ave. work were done separately, mobilization and demobilization would have to be paid twice instead of once.

Councillors discussed a water main break the village recently coped with and the funds needed to repair it.

As well, the CAO noted sidewalk and gutter rehab work in 2026 is proposed to be scaled down.

It was noted during discussion that federal government grant money came in higher than expected. The CAO noted that if councillors wished to do everything on the list presented to them, they would have to dip into the reserve funds. In that case, noted Dibben, the roughly $850,000 in reserves would be cut down to about $350,000, although the village would have a lot to show for that money.

The CAO stated that the ongoing war in Iran is going to affect pricing on some things related to municipal capital budgets, and these pressures would probably extend into 2027. Dibben gave the impression that doing the work now could save taxpayers money in the future.

Mayor Dwayne Giroux asked if the CAO had any recommendation for councillors; Dibben didn’t answer that question but did say he’d be happy if his “doom and gloom” predictions turned out to be wrong.

Coun. Dayna Oberg, when looking at the capital plan, said he could see where the 47 Ave. project could go up by $100,000 due to inflation and other factors if the project is delayed.

Oberg suggested councillors consider taking advantage of the lower tender and doing the work now. “We have the money,” said Oberg. “It’s uncomfortable, but council’s job is to make tough decisions.”

Mayor Giroux said he agreed with Oberg, noting that the village receives complaints about the condition of some roads and added he wanted to keep the village’s roads in as good a condition as possible.

Coun. Elaine Fossen also agreed with Oberg that waiting on capital projects might end up costing taxpayers more money. “It’s going to cost a lot more,” said Fossen.

As councillors discussed the village’s financial outlook, it was noted that the water treatment plant debenture has been fully paid off, while another debenture will be paid off in four years.

Councillors unanimously approved option #3 in the 2026 capital plan report.