(File photo)

Sophie Gray

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dragon boat races and museum facilities were the main focus of presentations at an open budget  meeting Tuesday night in council chambers, where Osoyoos residents came out to voice their opinions on the proposed 2020 budget.

With Mayor Sue McKortoff, council members and a handful of residents in attendance, the focus of the meeting was for public input on the proposed 2020 budget, which would see a three per cent increase in municipal taxes for Osoyoos among other changes.

“This meeting has been called to give an opportunity to members of the public to comment on things in the budget,” said Mayor Sue McKortoff. “And also to present things that (the public) might like to see included in the budget.”

After a brief reading of the proposed budget, people in attendance were asked to present any concerns or proposed changes to council.

McKortoff reminded all in attendance that the meeting was intended for council to hear presentations and ask questions, but not debate matters.

Three presenters spoke, beginning with Wendy Barlow of the Osoyoos Lake Paddle Club. The former club president asked for $6,000 to help fund the annual dragon boat festival organized by the club in September. The funding, she said, was needed to pay race officials.

“The cost of the race director and his crew, directing up to 15 teams, will be $6,000,” said Barlow. “It is for this amount that we are seeking financial assistance.”

• Read more: Town of Osoyoos drafts budget, seeks public input

The event was previous funded by Destination Osoyoos in 2018, which was taken over by the Town last year. This request is $1,000 more than the funding the Paddle Club received last year. Council said they would take the request under consideration.

One other resident followed, asking council to use local workers instead of contractors for engineering services in the proposed budget.

Mat Hassen of the Osoyoos Museum Society also presented to the council, asking for assistance with project fees for the new Osoyoos Museum, which total over $20,000.

“While we appreciate that these are embedded in bylaw, and we have paid them, we’re asking the council consider waiving, reimbursing, or reducing these fees so that the funds can be reapplied instead to project development,” said Hassen.

Hassen also presented an idea to reallocating utilities costs from the old museum to the new one when it is completed, noting that the cost of utilities was already included in the budget for the new museum.

“We’re asking that council consider allowing assistance to utility costs at the new museum from the existing budgetary provision from the old museum until we can get a more accurate handle on our likely annual costs going forward,” said Hassen.

Council members supported Hassen’s request for reallocation of utilities funds, with Mayor McKortoff saying council would look into both requests by Hassen.

McKortoff thanked everyone for attending and assured that council would consider all presentations from the evening before finalizing the 2020 budget.