Fairview Town Council covered a wide range of topics at its January 20 meeting, touching on emergency services and policing costs, along with recreation use and winter operations.
One of the key decisions was the approval of a joint purchase between the Town and the MD of Fairview for a used fire ladder truck. The truck will be purchased from the Sexsmith Fire Department for $140,000.
Council also received an update on the Police Funding Model, and the numbers reflect significant increases. While the Town had originally budgeted $152,000 for policing, revised estimates now put that figure at $203,958. This marks a 34% increase over what was paid in 2025. Looking ahead, costs are projected to keep climbing, showing $441,915 by 2030; about three times the 2025 cost.
On a positive note, the Town’s Aquatic Centre saw attendance rise by 7% since 2024, while Fitness Centre use jumped by 17%.
Council also heard a 2025 budget update, which showed overall spending remains on track, with a preliminary surplus of $460,945, though some expenses are still to be finalized.
That said, winter has taken its toll on operations. Thanks to record snowfall, December snow removal costs topped $100,000, far exceeding the Town’s annual snow removal budget of $45,000.
Keith Hopper, Trending 55
