The Village of Keremeos' council gave its approval to a 4.9 per cent municipal tax increase in the 2025-2029 financial plan.
The plan, which contains the budget for the year and estimations for the next four years, was presented on March 17 with minor changes from previous drafts shared in February.
The approved version, which will be used for the year, will see a 4.9 per cent increase in the municipal tax rate, which is one per cent higher than the 3.9 per cent previously expected.
That will result in an additional $10,000 in tax revenue for the 2025 budget.
The remainder of the budget is largely unchanged from the previously presented version.
Garbage fees and sewer fees will both increase in 2025, the garbage fees will be collected on behalf of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.
The garbage fees are going up as a result of the new contract with Waste Connections Canada that the village shares with the RDOS.
The expected total increase in collected fees is $75,100, going from $101,250 in 2024's budget to $176,300 in 2025. For residents, this will mean a projected increase to $224 from $130 for the year or from $11 to $19 per month.
Sewer fees will see the first of five years of consecutive 10 per cent increases after a decade of being untouched. That means a single-family residential property will see their bill increase from $250 to $275 in 2025.
The capital budget has also seen minor adjustments but is sitting at just under $2.2 million in general and sewer projects. The projects are a mix of carry forward from previous years and new projects.
The general projects for 2025 include the second phase of the community garden, a new parks mower, flood mitigation, upgrades and repairs to the public works crane truck, road works and a tree management plan.
The sewer capital budget includes projects being carried forward from 2024 such as the rebuilding of lift station four, and new projects such as a backup generator system for the wastewater treatment plant.
The cost for the sewer projects is going from $429,000 in the draft to $465,014 in the approved budget, and will be funded through gas tax funding, the growing community fund, and the local government climate action plan grant.
