Regional District Finance Manager Warren Everton presented the RDOS 2012 budget to Keremeos Village Council at the Feb. 6 regular meeting of council.
Everton described the budget process to council, noting that the regional district had to adopt their five year financial plan by March 31 this year. Keremeos will not have to finalize their budget until May 15.
Everton hoped to have the regional district budget ready for third reading and adoption in time for the March 1 director’s board meeting.
The new cost structure involving the transfer of 911 services to Kelowna resulted in a $350,000 savings to the regional district this year, Everton said. Regional district operating expenses are down to $24,153,509 from $25,159,630. That translates into a $1.25 /1000 mill rate for the village.
A program implemented by the regional district two years ago known as the “time tracker” resulted in a shift of administrative costs from municipalities to electoral areas this year. The program was designed to allow regional district employees the ability to track the amount of time they spent working on individual communities and electoral areas. The results indicated that most time is spent on services for electoral areas.
“This makes sense,” Everton explained, “as the regional district is the only provider of services to electoral areas.”
Council received the budget for information purposes.
Council also approved a request from the Similkameen Museum Society for a letter of support for their gaming grant application.
A proclamation was issued declaring Feb. 20 to 24 to be B.C. Chamber of Commerce week.
Staff completed the 2012 to 2014 village strategic plan, which was adopted by council. This year’s strategic plan took three sessions to complete and for the first time involved staff input.
Councillor Arlow won a pass to the upcoming “Building Sustainable Communities” conference in Kelowna. A motion to formulate a policy regarding village business based winnings was put forward as a result of the discussion surrounding her attendance. Arlow will attend one day of the conference at no cost to the village.
Council completed the evening’s business by adopting the fees and charges bylaw.