By spring of 2017, the municipal office building in the RM of Tache should no longer be situated in the community of Lorette. Mayor Robert Rivard says as part of its 2016 financial plan, council has decided to construct a brand new building, outside that community.

Rivard says this year's tax levy is $14.4 million, up half a million dollars from last year. The average ratepayer in Tache with a home assessed at $250,000 will see less than a two per cent increase on their taxes. But Rivard says because of reassessment, some homeowners could see an eight or nine per cent jump.

According to Rivard, one of the biggest projects being planned for 2016 is construction of a new Public Works shop and municipal office at the corner of Provincial Road 206 and the Trans Canada

(Tache Public Works building)Highway. Rivard says they are working with PCL on this project and though the design has yet to be finalized, it is expected to cost between $3 million and $4 million.

Moving the municipal office out of Lorette was not a unanimous decision by Tache council. Rivard says three Councillors voted against the motion for various reasons. He notes one Councillor stated the office should stay inside either Lorette or Landmark, while other Councillors mentioned it's always been in Lorette and why change history. But Rivard says as long as it stays inside the municipality, that's the main thing.

"The reality of it is, very few people are walking to the office anyway," says Rivard. "When you look at our population, most of our population is rural."

Rivard says one of the advantages of building the municipal office and Public Works shop under one roof is that it will save them considerable dollars. He notes the last time they received a quote for a stand alone office, it was supposed to cost between $1.5 million and $2 million. Rivard says contractors have now informed them that for approximately $500,000 they can have the office space they need.

Another concern that has been raised is that building a new Public Works shop and municipal office will impact the future of a recreation complex for Lorette.

"One project does not interfere with the other one at all," says Rivard. "We have the reserves and financial plans to do both projects, as long as everything falls into line with the other levels of government funding on the rec complex."

Construction of the new building is expected to begin in early summer and be complete by spring of next year. Rivard says once complete, their old Public Works building in Lorette will become the new Public Works shop for the Local Urban District of Lorette.

Meanwhile, Rivard says there are at least two other significant projects being planned for this year. The Landmark water system has a price tag of about $4 million. Rivard says Tache's contribution will be $1.6 million. Also, the Lorette lagoon is being upgraded at a cost of $2.4 million. Tache will pump in $800,000 towards this project.