If the Town of Osoyoos does organize a local conservation fund, it will be operated and funded by local taxpayers and not in conjunction with the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS).
At a council meeting two weeks ago, Bryn White from the South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program (SOSCP) provided council with an overview of the process and advantages of setting up a local conservation fund.
A conservation fund would provide dedicated funding established by a regional district or municipality to support environmental conservation.
The fund would provide local financial support for activities to protect valuable natural areas, as part of restoring and sustaining a healthy local environment.
It focuses on projects that don’t fall within the mandate of other levels of government, said chief administrative officer Barry Romanko, during a presentation to town council Monday.
“A regional district or municipality has the legal authority to establish and operate a conservation fund as a service, just as with other services such as fire protection, water supply, recreation and waste management,” he said. “The fund can be financed through a property tax, parcel tax, local area service tax or fees.
“A fund program usually runs for 10 years, after which the municipality or regional district decides whether or not it will continue.”
Five B.C. regional districts have created conservation funds, four of which are comparable to the RDOS as they are mostly rural, including the East and Central Kootenay regional districts, Central Okanagan and Cowichan Valley districts, as well as the Capital Regional district.
Council voted two weeks ago to discuss funding the conservation fund during upcoming budget deliberations in 2016.
On Monday, Coun. C. J. Rhodes said he would only support funding a conservation fund locally and as part of any conservation fund that might be set up within the RDOS moving forward.
“I feel quite strongly about having it in our own community and within our own budget,” said Rhodes.
Coun. Carol Youngberg agreed.
Council unanimously supported a motion that “council provides direction to include a public engagement process in the 2016 business plan, to assess public support for the development of local or regionally supported conservation fund. A decision on supporting a conservation fund and the method to be employed would be considered after a review of community input.”
Youngberg said it’s imperative that local residents be allowed to provide input and speak about the conservation fund before council makes any final decision on developing the fund.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
