Dryden city council approves 2026 budget

The City of Dryden is coming in with a budget increase of just under 3 percent.

Dryden city council approved an increase of 2.82 percent at Monday night’s meeting.

City treasurer Kim Junko says there were a couple of items that came in less than expected.

“Four main revisions that were made from the draft to this budget, was the KDSB (Kenora District Services Board) levy was reduced from estimated 2.67 (percent) to 1.64, and that was the final rate we were given,” Junko explained during her budget presentation.

“The Kenora District Home for the Aged levy was decreased from an estimated 4 percent down to 0.1 percent increase…and the tax levy decreased from 3.34 (percent) to 2.82 (percent), which was a savings of $17,000.”

Junko says for the average home assessed at $148,000, the increase amounts to about $91 dollars a year.

The only councillor to vote against the increase was Ritch Noel, who says he wants to see all the city expenses this year, before making a decision whether to support the budget or not.