The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen Board of Directors gave three readings to a service establishment bylaw that would provide funding for the Similkameen Country Visitor Information Centre at the board’s October 3 meeting.
The bylaw would replace grant in aid funding to the visitor centre, previously provided through the Village of Keremeos and Areas “B” and “G”. Establishment of a service will enable the infocentre to prepare annual budgets with the assurance of sustainable core funding from the regional district.
Area “G” Director Angelique Wood said that the bylaw would give some certainty to the visitor centre operations, while Keremeos Mayor Manfred Bauer noted that the operating budget of the info centre had been subject to various budgets for the last 10 years.
Before the board can adopt a service establishment bylaw, however, the province and service area voters must give their approval.
It is anticipated that voter approval will come through the alternate approval process, where elector approval would be acheived if fewer than 10 per cent of electors in the service area submit elector response forms.
The bylaw will now go to the provincial Inspector of Municipalities for consideration before returning for constituent approval.