Photo: District of Peachland

A proposal to refurbish Peachland’s highway welcome signs ran into some unexpected opposition during budget deliberations Tuesday morning.

A draft budget presented to council included a $4,800 item to spruce up “Historic Peachland” signs that greet drivers as they speed by.

“I have an objection to refurbishing signs that do not represent our community anymore,” said Coun. Alena Glasman. “There is nothing historic about Peachland. Sorry. We have a whole lot of other things. We’re beautiful. We’re picturesque. We’re on the lake.

“What brought us to the conclusion to rejuvenate or try to bring back to life things that are dreadfully unkept or showing signs of age,” she asked.

Glasman had another idea, but it wasn’t greeted with much enthusiasm.

She said she knew companies that could do the job cheaper in exchange for advertising “off to the side.”

“I’m not sure I agree with you but I’ll just put that out there. We’ll look at it,” said administrator Joe Creron.

“Peachland is an historic town,” responded Coun. Keith Thom. “If we took the word historic off that sign, we’d get some major bellyaching.”

New signs would be too expensive, council was advised. A new Welcome to Kelowna sign costing about $750,000 was cited in the discussion.

Council in the more informal committee of the whole setting approved the preliminary budget with a 6.65 per cent tax increase. A typical homeowner will pay $111 more in property taxes if the rate hike stays as it is. Other taxes homeowners must pay have yet to be calculated.

Council was to give formal approval to the budget tonight.