Salmon Arm council will meet with CSRD representative to discuss significant increases in solid waste management budget

Dump discussion coming

Photo: Columbia Shuswap Regional District

Salmon Arm city council wants to hear from a Columbia Shuswap Regional District representative about the large increases to the solid waste management budget.

At the Feb. 10 Salmon Arm city council meeting, Coun. Kevin Flynn said after one round of budget discussion at the CSRD, Salmon Arm’s requisition would be less this year. However, he noted the rising cost of future landfill closures.

“The biggest area, once again, is reserves for closures of landfills and it's a significant unfunded liability,” he said.

He proposed having Ben Van Nostrand, general manager of environmental and utility services, come before council to explain the need for greater reserves for future landfill closures.

“I absolutely trust our directors,” said Mayor Alan Harrison. “However, I would like Mr. Van Nostrand to come and talk to us.”

“I want to understand why the replacement budget is so aggressive,” Harrison added. “The jump in this year's CSRD requisition on that budget line is enormous. And I would like to understand it better.”

Coun. Tim Lavery, who also serves as a director on the CSRD board, agreed it would be a good idea.

“There is no doubt that this is a significantly underfunded line item based on changing expectations from the province of best practice for closing landfills,” Lavery said.

He noted the budget for future landfill closures is set to see significant increases every year for the next five years, "which are not even going to scratch the surface of getting to even a portion of the reserve needed."

“I think it'd be highly informative for this table to have their heads around the absolute dilemma of how to even partially fund this reserve for what's anticipated down the line," he said.

Council agreed to have Van Nostrand attend a future development and planning services committee meeting in order to discuss the landfill closure reserve funding further.