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Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Volume 94 - No. 05
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www.ldnews.net
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$1.30 GST inc.
BURNS LAKE
LAKES DISTRICT NEWS
It’s a wrap!
Citizen of the year
With recently completed roofing and wall sub-cladding, The new Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre is ready for interior work.
Nominations for Citizen of the Year 2013 are now open in the Lakes District. This prestigious award is presented annually to residents of the Lakes District who have dedicated themselves to volunteerism in their community.
Story on page 2
ComFor donation policy finalized
Village of Burns Lake prelim budget out
No tax hikes in balanced 2014 budget; town forum soon WALTER STRONG
It’s budget time in Burns Lake again. The provisional budget is out, but it will see some fine-tuning before being finalized. The preliminary 2014 budget is a balanced one with no municipal tax increases, but with only marginal additions to village reserve funds for eventual infrastructure upgrades. But the zero per cent increase does not mean that municipal tax payers won’t be paying a slightly larger tax bill. The recent 2014 property assessment shows increased property values, which translates into slightly
higher tax bills for property owners, despite the zero per cent increase. In total, the Village of Burns Lake projects a higher tax revenue to the tune of $41,000, thanks to the increased property assessments. The extra tax revenue is welcome in the face of increases the village will face in 2014 for substantial rises in electricity, fuel, and water treatment chemical costs. Those increased costs are supplyside increases, and not related to increased usage. They are essentially outside of VBL control. But they come at the same time as marginally decreased revenues in associated areas. Water and sewer rate revenue will drop by $15,925 following the 2013 decision to reclassify low-volume business users at residential water and sewer usage rates. This reclassification was done to
give a break to small business owners who don’t use anymore water than a residential household, and often less. Other increased costs the village will face are a 1.5 per cent increase to unionized staff wages as per labour agreements. The 1.5 per cent increase will be extended to non-unionized village employees as well. The total cost for VBL staff raises amounts to approximately $10,000 in total. Village councillors and mayor are expected to take a planned raise that had been postponed for two years. The total cost of that raise, for all councillors and mayor combined, is $1900 for the year. Wages will be looked at next week after department heads have laid out their portfolios in the next council budget meeting. Major public works projects being
We’re celebrating Chinese New Year! With a Chinese Buffet!
considered for inclusion in the 2014 budget include, the possible replacement of the small Government St. bridge, continued downtown revitalization work to the former Shell property, and required upgrades to the village sewage lagoon. On Jan. 27, 2013, VBL council was scheduled to consider departmental budgets in detail, as well as possible water and sewer frontage rate increases to allow for increased capital reserves. What to do with the $960,000 the village received from the Burns Lake Community Forest (BLComfor) is yet to be decided. None of it has so far been allocated for anything in the budget. On Feb. 4, 2014 the village will a hold a public town hall to discuss the budget, as well as BLComfor money, with area residents.
As part of ongoing restructuring, the Burns Lake Community Forest (BLComfor) has released its new and revised donation policy.
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Warm January; go fishing How ‘bout the weather, eh? That quintessentially Canadian question seems to be getting asked a lot around Burns Lake this winter.
Story on page 11
Prepared by the CNC Professional Cook’s Training Program COME ONE, COME ALL! Thursday, January 30th at CNC Lakes Campus from 12:00 to 1:00pm - cost $7
It’s the year of the horse!
Phone: 250.692.1700 • Fax: 250.692.1750 • Toll Free: 1.866.692.1943 545 Highway 16 West • PO Box 5000, Burns Lake, BC • V0J 1E0 Email: lksdist@cnc.bc.ca • Website: www.cnc.bc.ca/lakesdistrict