The city is considering making a change to the way they use Aquatera’s discretionary dividends. In the past few years the city has been receiving those dividends, based on any surplus the organization might have year to year. Mayor Bill Given says he’s concerned that how the city is benefiting from the funding is not as clear or transparent as it should be.
“Right now that money comes into the city’s general revenue and is used to support all the different operations of the city. The concept that I’m putting forward is to see if we can make a better link that’ll be easier for the public to understand. With this proposal I believe people will be able to see that in the infrastructure that we are able to support in the ground.”
In 2013 the city received a million dollars in discretionary dividends from Aquatera. Given says those funds have become an important source of revenue for the city.
“The revenue that comes to the city allows us to undertake projects that the city requires. If we didn’t have that revenue coming then ultimately city of Grande Prairie taxes would be higher. I can appreciate that, and that’s one of the reason why I brought this forward, is because I want it to be very transparent about what the city of Grande Prairie is doing with these discretionary dividends.”
Given says he would like to see those discretionary dividends being funneled directly into water and waste-water infrastructure projects that would benefit both the city and Aquatera.