Where the money goes: a snapshot of one month's expenses at city hall
By Bill Metcalfe
In July, 2013, the City of Nelson spent over $13 million in about 350 separate transactions large and small, not including payroll.
Once each month, chief financial officer Colin McClure tables an accounts payable list as part of the official materials at council meetings. His full list for July, 2013, is attached to this article, below.
One month of transactions does not give an accurate picture of overall annual expenses, but it is a window into the variety and scope of the city’s purchases.
Here are July’s most expensive items—costs of $30,000 or more. The first and third items, and partially the second, are not really expenses at all, but the passing on of money the city has collected in taxation for someone else.
Ministry of Finance (school taxes): $6,205,639
The city collects school taxes from residents annually as part of their property tax, then sends it on to the provincial government once each year.
Regional District of Central Kootenay: $4,096,327
The city and the regional district provide many joint services such as waste management and recreation, including, this year, the renovations to the pool. The city collects taxes for this and passes some of the proceeds on to the regional district. Nelson residents also share in the cost of the regional district’s administration.
West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District: $738,892
The city collects taxes from Nelson property owners to fund hospitals in the region. This was Nelson’s payment for this year.
Fortis BC: $324,325
Nelson Hydro does not produce all the power the city needs. The rest is bought from Fortis, at about this amount monthly.
Selkirk Paving: $316,339
The city has a $600,000 paving and patching budget, which is used partly in connection with water and sewer line upgrades.
Martech Electrical Systems: $237,137
This was a partial payment toward this Castlegar company’s work on replacing the Rosemont power substation including the installation of a new transformer.
BC Assessment Authority: $168,427
Municipalities around the province collect the taxes on which the assessment authority operates. This was Nelson’s annual remission to the province.
ICBC: $60,300
Annual fleet insurance for city vehicles.
Manulife Financial: $57,369
Monthly payment for employee benefits
Berg Lehmann: $57,330
This fee was paid to this Nelson accounting firm for the city’s 2012 financial audit.
Stella-Jones Inc.: $56,352
This company is a supplier of hydro poles.
Touchstones Nelson: $52,359
This is the city’s quarterly payment for the support of the gallery, museum, and archives.
Worksafe BC: $50,976
Quarterly premium for employee compensation benefits
BC Transit: $43,000
B.C. Transit shares the cost of transit with municipalities, and Nelson sends this amount to the agency monthly for leasing of buses and other costs.
Executive Flight Centre: $40,823
The city buys fuel for the airport from this company.
New Line Skateparks: $47,862
This was the first payment to the builders of the new skatepark.
Kootenay Lake Auto Marine: $31,309
For purchase of a trailer for the city’s mini-excavator.
Nelson Chrysler: $36,633
For the purchase of a new police truck.
The full list of 350 items is attached below.
