Public budget meeting outlines 12 supplemental items for residents to discuss

The preliminary budget projects a 4.89 per cent tax increase, plus any other items added to the list.

The 12 supplemental items include a couple new staff positions, a new Mausoleum at $6.1 million at the Hillside Cemetery that would require the city to go into debt, the Lorne Street Train Whistle Cessation community request that would cost $1.2 million plus land acquisition, $80,000 worth of upgrades to Norbrock Stadium, and LED exterior lighting at city hall for $160,000.

However, the biggest item, not only dollar-wise but also relating to the city’s long-term vision, is funding for the Community Climate Action Plan, which was adopted by council last June. The city’s goal is to reduce community emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

“From my perspective, issues like active transportation are ones that I support, not only because it reduces our greenhouse gas emissions but also keeps our population healthy,” said Kamloops mayor Ken Christian. “There’s issues related to the canopy and greening Kamloops up and carbon sequestration.”

The plan hopes to have funding for the next decade at $444,000 each year.

“Quite frankly, I don’t think we have a choice as we face increasingly pressure from climate change and some of the adverse affects from that,” said Christian. “We, as a city, have to be prepared and I think it’s a good investment on the part of our citizens, but we’ll wait tonight and hear what they say.”

Not all 12 items will necessarily be approved, but if they are, the city’s corporate services director says most of them could be funding through gaming grants and reserves.

“We’ve tried to identify alternative funding sources other than taxation,” said Humphrey. “Anything that’s a one-time fee like a build of something or something that doesn’t have any ongoing costs, [we] use our gaming funds or city works funds that don’t impact taxation for that one-time hit. So it’ll really just be the increases in staffing.”

If all dozen supplementals are approved, they would add $1.1 million dollars to the budget, or one per cent of taxation.

The public budget meeting is at 7 p.m. at McArthur Island.

by Chad Klassen

Public budget meeting outlines 12 supplemental items for residents to discuss

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