The rising cost of gravel, and a renewed commitment to improving the more than 400 miles of roads in the RM of Stanley explains the nearly $3 million being spent on transportation in 2018.

"We are putting on more gravel and the gravel is costing us more to process and haul," explained Reeve Morris Olafson when asked about the transportation portion of the budget. "So, we've increased that side of it a little bit more, because our usage has gone up. Our road counts have gone up every year."

Olafson continued to say Road 12N, which is located a mile south of the Corridor between Winkler and Morden does see around half of the usage that the main highway does each year.

The RM of Stanley passed first reading for its 2018 Budget during its council meeting Thursday. This year's $6,803,153 budget this year will see an increase of $147,730 over 2017 ($6,655,424).

"You try and save money where you can, but you have to spend money where you have too," said Reeve Morris Olafson who is pleased with this year's budget. "If we increase our budget by 2.17%, I think that's very prudent."

The mill rate will be going from 10.074 to 9.218.

The 2018 budget will see Stanley spend their money on the following.

- General Government - $904,393 (13%)
- Protective Services - $631,800 (9%)
- Transportation Services - $ 2,841,992 (42%)
- Environmental Health - $11,500 (0%)
- Public Health & Welfare - $59,059 (1%)
- Environmental Development - $258,102 (4%)
- Economic Development - $68,311 (1%)
- Recreation & Culture - $180,835 (3%)
- Fiscal Service - $629,808 (9%)
- Transfers to Reserves - $1,217,353 (18%)

Meanwhile, the total revenues for the year include around 80% or $5.47 million from Property taxes and the other 20% or $1.34 million from other revenues.

This proposed budget has only passed first reading and is still subject to both Garden Valley and Western School Division's taxes. That being said, Municipal taxes for farmland valued around $751,500 this year (19% increase over last year) will see an increase of around $143.00 ($1,801). Meanwhile for farmland assessed at approximately $252,100 (11% increase over last year) will see an estimated increase of around $11 ($604.00)

As for residential property taxes, there will be a roughly $75 ($875) decrease in taxes for a home valued at $210,900 (1% over last year) and for a residence valued at $289,900 (4% increase over last year) will have a decrease of $63 ($1,203).

2018 will be a busy year for the Municipality with a lot of projects in the works including Regional Waste Water System, Sewer & Water Investments in the Stanley Corridor, Village Pavement Program in Schanzenfeld, Drainage and dust proofing projects, public works equipment renewal, Reinland Drain restoration, and more.

A total of $233,696 will be contributed to organizations this year.