File Photo (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By James Peters

City Budget

Kamloops council, public asked to consider eight supplementary budget requests for 2024

Feb 14, 2024 | 5:45 PM

KAMLOOPS — City of Kamloops staff have unveiled the supplementary budget requests councillors will mull over this year.

On the list going to council’s Committee of the Whole next Tuesday (Feb. 20) are eight items — two suggested by council itself, three suggested by the community and the remaining three coming from the various city departments.

Four of the items, if approved, would be added to this year’s budget. They include a $953,000 medical response unit for Kamloops Fire Rescue, which would represent a 0.53 per cent average tax increase, a $136,000 boost to the city’s funding agreements, representing a 0.1 per cent tax increase, and improvements to parking around Heritage House, which would be funded through provincial gaming grants.

In addition, staff are proposing improvements to the city’s waste collection trucks. The improvements would be funded through the city’s Solid Waste Reserve, spread over the next three years.

Bigger budget items are proposed for future years.

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A sidewalk along a portion of Todd Road in Barnhartvale would push the entire project from this year to 2025. The $1.7-million price tag would be funded through long-term debt.

Residents have asked for a pedestrian pathway along the bottom of Rose Hill Road for 2026 and 2027. The $2-million cost would also be supplied by long-term debt.

And a third community proposal is a $3.1-million streetscape improvement for the 500-block of Victoria Street. The majority of the funding for that project would come from gaming grants.

Finally, staff are proposing a $2.2-million budget increase for a variety of drainage projects. While the funding would come from taxation, staff propose that project be put on the books for 2025.

The public can learn more about the projects at an information session planned for next Tuesday evening (Feb. 20) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the McArthur Island Sports Centre Lounge.

Even before council considers these supplemental requests, it is facing a 10.81 per cent average tax increase, thanks largely to increasing wages and benefits to city staff such as RCMP officers, firefighters and employees represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

In December, council directed staff to come back with proposed ideas for generating increased revenue or cutting services in order to lessen the burden on taxpayers.

For more information, visit this site.