Blake Ellis/The Independent

The Black Creek Bridge on Marthaville Road will be replaced this year.

Enniskillen Township approved the lowest of the three tenders, $2.6 million from Cope Construction Monday.

Enniskillen’s Administrator-Clerk Christine Poland outlined seven options for council ranging from raising the township’s tax levy by $1 million with no borrowing to raising the general levy by $100,000 this year and delaying the bridge project until 2027.

In the end, council agreed the bridge must be replaced this year, but disagreed how the township should pay for it.

“I was hoping for more government assistance here,” said Councillor Tim Williams.

“Interest rates are pretty good right now. It is about as low as it is going to get.”

The township will be receiving grants of $364,200 from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund, $92,519 from the gas tax revenue and $398,858 from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund. All of these funds will be used for the bridge construction.

Mayor Kevin Marriott, Councillor Wally Van Dun and Williams liked the option of raising the township levy by $300,000 while borrowing up to $750,000. This would raise the levy by 6.13 percent.

Deputy Mayor Judy Krall and Councillor Chad Burke favoured raising the township levy by $200,000 or 4.74 percent, while borrowing up to $850,000.

As the municipality will be taking on debt to finance this project, council agreed to a $2.5 million line of credit, which can not only be used for the Black Creek Bridge but with other needs of the township.

“We got this bridge now, but that line of credit can be used if something goes wrong with the sewer in Oil City, because there is not much of a reserve there,” said Krall.

Marriott disagreed saying the township shouldn’t have to use the line of credit to fix that issue if it was to occur. The key is having shovel ready projects ready to present to the senior levels of government for funding, he said.

Poland said this would involve having engineering reports ready to show the government what needs to be done. The last time Enniskillen inquired about the cost of an engineering study it was estimated at between $100,000 and $120,000.

A draft budget will be brought forward to council in May.

Among things to consider this year is a $190,000 estimate for the township portion of municipal drainage assessments, $38,000 for the replacement of a lawn mower, $20,000 for half of the Gum Bed Line project Enniskillen will be undertaking with the Village of Oil Springs, $15,000 for the replacement of a tractor and $10,000 for bridge inspections that are needed.

The draft budget will also include a recommendation to raise the fire levy by $75,000.