Times Chronicle Staff
The Town of Oliver will soon be knee deep in budget deliberations as it looks at spending in its 2023-2027 Capital Plan.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Wayne Anderson said their March 13 meeting started out with a request for $4.9 million in spending for 2023, with $2.8 million of the total related to carry-forward projects from 2022. He said $3.4 million of the $4.9 million 2023 capital was tentatively approved and moved forward to the next meeting (March 27).
Anderson noted the request that consumed the majority of council’s time was the Station Street Plaza/Pavilion proposal, which is partially grant funded. He said the original plaza design went to tender and came back $500,000 over budget, so staff presented council with a scaled back pavilion proposal.
Council requested staff to come back to the next meeting with potential locations for the pavilion. The CFO said council is also discussing how to spend the $2.7 million in infrastructure funding from the province as part of the BC Growing Communities Fund.
Anderson brought forward the previous council’s decision on how to fund the town’s move to a 70 per cent RCMP funding model, which starts this year. In 2018 the plan was to apply a nine per cent increase over five years to build up the municipal tax base to cover increased RCMP costs.
He noted they applied this increase four times since 2018 (2020 was a zero per cent year). He said the final nine per cent increase in 2023 is proposed as a starting point for the meeting on March 27 to review the operating plan. Anderson said policing costs have jumped from approximately $300,000/year to $1.2 million as part of the Town’s new 70 per cent share.
The five-year capital plan reflects council’s priorities including transforming downtown into a bustling community hub, improving walkability, and promoting economic development. Some of the projects carried forward from 2022 include the rehabilitation of Packinghouse Lane, a new fire engine, CPR roof replacement, and School Avenue reconstruction/paving.
The 2023-2027 Capital Plan is also looking at design projects such as Kootenay Street upgrades and Sawmill Road rehabilitation.
Building projects being considered include solar panels for the Public Works facility, and a 100-year commemorative sign for Town Hall. Council is also eying some new equipment for the fire department, including 13 breathing tanks and hydrant extensions at their training ground. The total for new town equipment in 2023 is $136,000.
Other than the addition of one new pickup truck, the remainder of the 2023 vehicle purchases are carried forward from the 2022 plan. Between 2024 and 2027, council is looking to add a two-ton service truck, a sweeper, a mower, and three pickup trucks.
