The new Town of Osoyoos council has agreed with a staff recommendation to hold an evening meeting early in the new year to enable members of the public to provide input for projects and activities that are traditionally funded by the town as part of the annual budget process.

Council voted unanimously on Monday – at their first regular meeting of council since the November 15 municipal election and two weeks after officially being sworn in – to hold an evening meeting on Monday, Jan. 12.

The recommended format would include a 10-minute presentation to council by local organizations that are identified in “line item budget expenditures” and these include the Osoyoos Museum Society, Osoyoos Desert Society and management from Destination Osoyoos.

These organizations will be asked to provide valuable information such as a quick review of the purpose and activities of the organization, the amount of funds and other assistance it receives from the town, an approximate percentage this amount represents of their total budget and impacts if they didn’t receive support and an outline of activities or special projects the organization has planned with 2015 funding.

The second part of the meeting would involve members of the public making five-minute presentations relating to their recommended projects or activities they would like to see funded by the town as part of the 2015 budget process.

The contest of the presentation could be recommendations for new activities or details of support for current projects or direction of council.

Council would be able to question the presenter to receive answers to questions and clarity, but it would not be intended to be a debate and no final decisions would be made relating to any presentation by a member of the public, said the town’s chief administrative officer Barry Romanko.

Mayor Sue McKortoff said she likes the idea of holding an evening meeting to allow members of the public to make presentations relating to the budget before councillors begin serious budget deliberations.

“This way of doing it has never happened before … I think it would be a good idea,” she said.

Members of the public have always been allowed to attend budget deliberations, however, no formal mechanisms are in place to have the public provide input in a timely fashion so that projects can be assessed for inclusion in the current operating year report system or placed appropriately in the town’s business plan, said Romanko.

“There is ongoing pressure for local government to increase transparency in spending and engaging the local electorate into the budget process,” he said.

By holding this evening meeting for members of the public, the community will become more engaged in the budget process and receive additional information on the activities of the groups the town is funding, while allowing community members to provide valuable input that could influence the town’s operations and planning, he said.

“The result will be increased transparency on expenditures and public engagement in the budgeting process,” he said.

Council voted unanimously to advertise the public budget meeting input session the evening of Jan. 12.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in council chambers.

Meanwhile, the new council approved the bylaw approving the remuneration and expenses of the outgoing council for the period from Dec. 1, 2013 to Nov. 20, 2014.

Former mayor Stu Wells was paid $21,888, plus expenses of $2,772.

Councillors Sue McKortoff, Mike Plante, C. J. Rhodes and Michael Ryan all received remuneration of just over $14,000 with expenses ranging from $180 for Plante to $816 for Ryan.

Wells and all councillors also had their benefits paid with a cost of $1,337 per elected official.

Water councillors Claude Morreira and Tony Laranjo each received just under $3,945 in annual remuneration and had their benefits paid.

The town of Osoyoos pays for extended health and dental benefits for council and the costs for single coverage is considered a benefit and is paid for by the town. If the member of council has included their dependents, this cost of coverage for dependents is recovered from council.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times