By Roy Wood, Special to the Times Chronicle
Osoyoos water and sewer user fees are set to increase by more than nine and six per cent respectively next year, according to a budget report to town council early this week.
Residents’ only opportunity to offer their thoughts about the user fee budgets is tomorrow evening at the Sonora Centre.
In a “for information only” presentation from finance director Jim Zakal, council was told that water fees are slated to increase by 9.65 per cent for 2025, meaning an annual jump of $72.78 for an average single-family residence.
Sewer fees are projected to go up 6.63 per cent or $44.98. And garbage/recycling charges fees will rise three per cent or $5.75.
While the budgeted increases are higher than the rate of inflation, they are modest in comparison to those proposed last fall for 2024, which would have more than doubled water and sewer rates and led to an almost 40-per-cent hike in municipal tax and services hit.
When news of the increases became widely known last fall, the town erupted in protest, leading to a months-long process of angry public meetings and an eventual reconsideration. Council eventually managed to wrestle the increase down to just under 30 per cent.
Over the course of the winter and spring, council came to embrace the idea of seeking public input into its budget process.
Friday’s 6 p.m. meeting at the Sonora Centre gym is a continuation of that consultative imperative.
According to Zakal’s report: “The public will be provided an opportunity to provide input into the budgets . . . so that Council has an opportunity to hear from the public before starting to discuss and deliberate on the budgets.”
Details of the water, sewer and garbage proposed budgets are available on the town website.
The public will be able to make presentations to council either in writing or in person at the Friday meeting.
The deadline for written submissions passed yesterday (Nov. 13) at 4 p.m.
To speak at the meeting, pre-registration is required. Requests are being received until 4 p.m. today (Nov. 14) either by email or telephone. Speakers will be limited to three minutes.
The next step in the process will be a special open council meeting in council chambers on November 21.
There, council will begin to review and provide input to staff regarding the water, sewer and landfill/garbage/recycling budgets and potentially give the first three readings to the user fees budget. Mayor Sue McKortoff pointed out on Tuesday that the special meeting may have to be extended into the following day.
A week later, on November 29, the municipal tax portion of the town’s budget will be uploaded to the town website for public viewing. As required by provincial legislation, the budget is included in the town’s Five-Year Financial Plan.
On December 10, the draft financial plan will be presented to council for information. And potentially council will give final approval to the sewer, water and garbage user fee bylaw.
Another public input meeting, this one on the municipal five-year financial plan, will be held January 9 at the Sonora Centre.
On January 16-17 council will review and provide input on the financial plan and potentially pass the first three readings of the financial plan bylaw.
On February 11, if everything goes according to plan, council will give final approval to the financial plan bylaw.
