The Town of Oliver has approved a two per cent tax hike for its residents. The increase was unanimously passed at a recent council meeting.
Oliver residents will have to pay a little more in taxes this year – two per cent more.
Town council approved the increase last week during general budget deliberations.
Chief Financial Officer Dave Svetlichny said the impact to taxpayers won’t be known until they calculate individual tax rates and apply them to assessed values. This should be in the next few weeks.
Mayor Ron Hovanes said a two per cent increase is realistic, prudent and smart for Oliver, as opposed to a 10 per cent spike that taxpayers do not like.
He pointed out that if you don’t have an increase, you’ll be forced to deal with a shortfall very quickly.
Council discussed many items in the budget, including $2,500 for airport runway crack sealing and $2,100 for main gate automation, both of which were approved.
A new bridge across the river channel at a cost of $73,000 has been deferred to 2018.
Approximately $400,000 has been budgeted this year for upgrades to asphalt, curbs and sidewalks near the post office.
A roundabout on Fairview Road was considered (at a cost of $2.1 million), but grant money for that project was not approved.
Street lights (eight of them) to enhance pedestrian safety just north of town (Leighton Crescent area) was to cost $113,000. But council took this item off of the budget list.
Councillor Jack Bennest said a lot of people do not walk in this area, noting the pedestrian safety issue at Gallagher Lake is more important.
But council will spend $33,000 this year and in 2017 for LED lights in town.
A street sweeper budgeted at $185,000 was also discussed but deferred to 2017.
Council approved the closure (via barricades) of the Station Street laneway behind the Oliver legion and OK Tire building.
Mayor Ron Hovanes said the road is in bad shape and most people don’t stop when they merge onto the highway. Councillor Bennest agreed that the road is unsafe.
Bylaw enforcement will benefit from a $48,650 budget this year. In addition, $3,500 will be spent on security patrols.
But council members expressed a concern that Oliver Parks and Recreation was no longer contributing $4,000 to bylaw enforcement (as part of a previous verbal agreement).
Svetlichny said if the Town decided not to enforce the bylaws in parks, all the complaints would come back to Town staff.
The mayor said if the parks board wants bylaw enforcement, the Town would like a contribution.
In preparing its 2016 budget, the Oliver Parks and Recreation Society viewed bylaw enforcement as the Town’s responsibility, both operationally and fiscally.
The society states that it is responsible for the operation and management of recreation facilities and services owned by the Town and the regional district.
Recreation manager Carol Sheridan said they contributed funds directly to the Town for bylaw enforcement purposes last year.
But a dissatisfaction with bylaw enforcement services made the board take a step back, she said.
“Through discussions with Town administrators, it was determined that the enforcement of bylaws created and maintained by the Town of Oliver is ultimately the responsibility of the Town,” Sheridan said.
She feels confident that bylaw enforcement will improve this year with a new service provider and summer schedule.
The following capital projects will also be going ahead this year: CPR station sprinkler system ($5,500); town hall roof replacement ($25,000); intersection re-alignment study (McKinney/Black Sage Road) – $20,000; electric vehicle charging station ($13,000); cemetery grave marker improvements ($30,000).
Some proposed capital projects in 2017 and beyond include: New Centennial Park design; reconfigure Veterans/Station Street intersection; Bank/Kootenay Street pedestrian island; surfacing upgrade on Kootenay Street; Station Street crosswalk; Okanagan Street rehabilitation; School Avenue reconstruction; and Veterans and Church Avenue rehabilitation.
By Lyonel Doherty
