Photo: Castanet

Despite a citizen group calling for the 2025 budget to be put back to staff for review, council has given it a green light for the year.

Summerland Society for Civic Engagement director Amie Harbor presented to council on Tuesday, asking them to take another look at the proposed a 7.25 per cent property tax rate increase for 2025.

The society also held a town hall on Monday to discuss the municipality's 2025 budget.

This increase, according to staff, includes half a percent for increased asset management contributions, a 5.05 per cent increase for increased operational costs, and 1.7 per cent to cover the new debt payments associated with the Prairie Valley Road upgrades.

The rate increase would see a typical single-family home in the District of Summerland, assessed at $878,808 pay $130 more in property taxes than they did in 2024, and roughly $350 annually more for all services, or $29.26 monthly.

Photo: District of Summerland

The $350 is broken down as property taxes at an estimated $130, garbage at $14, water at $71, sewer at $35 and electric at $100.

Topics of concern for the local group not only include the budget but also the Alternative Approval Process for proposed loans for two infrastructure upgrades.

Harbor said the unexpected costs of the sewer clarifier, the AAP, and costs of structural increases are all areas the group feels could be reviewed.

"A theme that emerged from guests last night was that residents would like to prioritize our focus to infrastructure and to projects and programs that add value to our town or incentivize business," she added.

Council thanked the group for their presentation and concerns, noting that they would welcome the idea of having more feedback involved in the budget, but not this year.

Coun. Erin Trainer, who attended the town hall, said that many citizens have a different point of view.

"Everybody has a different idea of needs and wants. What you want and what you need is not necessarily what a senior wants, or what a mother wants for her kids," she said.

Coun. Adrienne Betts said that staff have worked on the budget for six months, followed by a week-long budget process with council.

"Taking a look at efficiencies, I feel like sure, there might be a few, but I think to look at a bigger shift in focus and ideology is not efficiencies. It's talking about service level cuts. And service level cuts don't come in a short term fashion. It's a major decision if council would choose to shift the direction of our municipality and the services we provide to our residents," she said.

"I feel like you're requesting larger savings, and that from my perspective, would take more time and more input from staff."

Harbor agreed that their society is looking at a broader approach at what government does provide in general, which might involve some bigger cuts.

Mayor Doug Holmes said that when municipal staff looked at the status quo budget for this year, with the same service levels and infrastructure as previous years, that budget came out to an 18.41 per cent increase.

"First staff took some cuts, and when it came to council, they had it down to a 9.27 per cent. Council, we made some more cuts, and we got it down to 7.25 per cent so it went from 18.4 per cent as a status quo down to 7.25 per cent," he said.

"We did a lot of cuts this year, and as number of councillors have said, if we want to cut further, we're going to have to cut service levels. We cut some service levels this year, but very small ones ... The risk is that we'll cut services that affect the most vulnerable in our community."

Holmes said this comes down to a having a wider community discussions.

Some considerations that have been made are looking at the cost of dog control, providing free transit, or not providing a recreation centre.

Trainer added that the concerns with water, sewer and road upgrades involved in the APP are situations that cannot be left aside.

"We can't have it both ways. If we want new infrastructure, we want to take care of what we have, then we have to figure out how to pay for it, and when we pay for it, and who pays for it. So that's something that we debate all the time, and there's no right or wrong answer it," she said.

"Council thought that the AAP is a good process, because these projects, we think need to be done. Staff are telling us they need to be done, and you can see it in the roads, they need to be done. We think this was the right process for this time. But if you guys have other ideas, bring them forward."

Councillors reiterated that they are listening to the concerns of the group, heading into next years budget.

Utility increases of 8.08 per cent in sewer, 7 per cent in water and 5.66 per cent in the electric utility for 2025 were previously approved and are already in effect.

Council unanimously approved the first three readings of the 2025 financial plan, for formal adoption at a future date.