'Reasonable' budget approved

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Mayor Colin Basran

Now the job is to sell it.

Kelowna city council Thursday settled on a 2015 budget it says will maintain services while asking residents to pay a 'modest' tax increase.

Council started the day with a proposed increase of 3.47 per cent and, after some trimming and additions, settled on an increase of 3.46 per cent. That means an additional $60 on the average tax bill.

The number is not final. It could change up until the final budget is passed and submitted to the province in May.

A large chunk of the increase, 1.77 per cent, will be taken up by the RCMP. That includes paying for a new $48-million detachment building, six new officers, a new secretary, court liaison officer as well as $656,000 to satisfy anticipated raises and pension changes within the RCMP contract.

It's a number Mayor Colin Basran reminds residents the city has no control over.

"I think when you explain that to residents who are concerned, they understand," says Basran.

"Of course, there will always be people who are upset when taxes go up, but I think a majority of residents, once you explain the importance of a new RCMP facility, the fact we have no control over their contract and their contract increase and that the rest of the 1.7 is less than the cost of living – most people are accepting of that."

The city is responsible for $26.7 million to satisfy the RCMP contract, about 24 per cent of the overall operating budget.

While Basran agrees this was very much an RCMP-centric budget due in large part to satisfying the Prosser Report and the new detachment building, the fire department, pickleball enthusiasts and Festivals Kelowna also received an unexpected bonus when items earmarked as Priority 2 or optional were given the green light.

The Kelowna Fire Department will receive a $30,000 side-by-side ATV, which Fire Chief Jeff Carlisle says will be invaluable in wildfires.

"It would carry up to four firefighters in a wild land interface situation where we are off the transportation system," says Carlisle. "This would allow us quicker access in."

He says this will also allow for quicker and safer rescues for those lost or injured in the wilderness.

"A lot of people in Kelowna use trails and remote areas where there is no access. We've had to hike in to extricate people who are injured."

In winter months it would be positioned in McKinley to help with snow removal in front of the station.

Council also agreed to a $25,000 expenditure to convert two tennis courts at Parkinson Rec Centre to six pickle ball courts. The local pickleball group was also able to raise $10,000 on its own.

A further $7,500 was also directed to Festivals Kelowna to assist with its annual New Years Eve celebration.

The money was added to the budget after council learned nearly $73,000 had been saved through three late deletions from the document.

"I think we approached this year's budget with an eye to keeping the tax impact as minimal as possible, and I think this afternoon we achieved that," says Basran. "We are always trying to balance the needs of our community with the resources we have, and this will continue to be approach."

He says council was able to provide a lean budget while not cutting services.

"I think what we did this afternoon was reasonable."