Jasper will likely see a $724,800 increase to the 2009 capital budget this year, as Council agreed Tuesday to bring forward a $10,751,800 budget to take the place of the $10,027,000 budget passed in February.

The decision will come before council on August 18.

Mayor Richard Ireland said budget shuffling is a bit of a formality following the approval of several large municipal projects.

“It’s almost redundant. Council has already approved specific projects. Now we have to put the money in the budget to cover it,” Mayor Ireland said.

The move was required after tenders for the pedestrian overpass and provincial building came in over budget. The town has also seen a reduction in Municipal Sustainability Initiatives (MSI) funding and changes to ‘New Deal’ funding.

The town has put forth more conservative estimates with its anticipated MSI funding, cutting projections to 65 per cent of expected funds.

Manager of Finance, Alice Lettner said the reworked plan affects the five-year capital plan, as some projects will be divided in two.

“Some will have planning in one year, and the work in another,” Lettner said. “Not all of the projects will be done in the anticipated period, but they will all get done.”

Work on Colin Crescent, Pyramid Avenue and Bonhomme will be delayed until 2011/2012. Staff informed council that there was no immediate need for the road work on those streets.

Mayor Richard Ireland said he doesn’t anticipate any other changes to the capital budget this year, and he doesn’t believe the town will receive any more stimulus money that will allow for other projects to be completed this year.

In other council news, the town is continuing discussions with Parks Canada to achieve land-use planning powers. Enhanced municipal powers will be included in the Jasper community sustainability plan, whose draft is anticipated to be released to the public in September. Director of corporate services Verne Balding said the wording for the agreement has not yet been finalized, and the town and JNP superintendent Greg Fenton need to come to an agreement on the draft proposal before the plan is released.

Mayor Richard Ireland said the town wants more control over land use planning.

“I’m decidedly in favour that there should be a greater opportunity for control,” mayor Ireland said.

The mayor said the town is in discussions with the town of Banff to determine what their experience has been with land use planning. Banff is the only town in a National Park with land use powers.

Also, council proclaimed that September will be muscular dystrophy awareness month.