FRIDAY APRIL 11, 2014
DECISION
COTR
Land Act to be decided.
International students endorse college.
?AQ’AM VOTE
See LOCAL NEWS page 4
NUMBER ONE AGAIN
Drop us an email, a Tweet, a Facebook message, or give us a call if you have any story ideas you would like to share.
See LOCAL NEWS page 3
www.dailybulletin.ca
THE BULLETIN PROUDLY SERVING KIMBERLEY AND AREA SINCE 1932 | Vol. 82, Issue 66 | www.dailybulletin.ca
STORIES OR IDEAS TO SHARE?
Like Us TownsmanBulletin Follow Us
@kbulletin
1
$ 10 INCLUDES G.S.T.
CITY OF KIMBERLEY
Financial plan released Four per cent residential tax increase; three per cent business/light industrial increase for 2014 C AROLYN GR ANT editor@dailybulletin.ca
JOHN ALLEN PHOTO
From the proceeds of their annual Lillith Affair variety show at Centre 64 from February 27 to March 1, the Kimberley Steppin’ Out Dancers donated $5,000 to the Kimberley Arts Council’s Centre 64 Expansion & Renovation project. Pictured from left to right are dancers Lori Pasiechnyk, Kathy Clarke, Delia Christianson, and Linda Douglas. Receiving the cheque on behalf of the Expansion & Renovation Committee is committee chair Carol Fergus. Since the first Lillith Affair show the Steppin’ Out Dancers have donated over $50,000 to local charities and cultural groups, including over $30,000 to the Centre 64 Expansion and renovation projects.
Next Tuesday the City of Kimberley will host an open house to present the 2014 to 2018 Financial Plan to taxpayers. The City has released the financial plan in advance of the meeting and it is available for perusal at kimberley.ca The key point taxpayers look to is how much residential and business taxes will rise. In 2014, Kimberley residential taxpayers will see a four per cent increase, and business/light industrial will see a three per cent increase. The City continues to rely heavily on the residential tax base, which makes up 85.88 per cent of all taxation revenue. The four per cent increase in 2014 includes a 0.28 per cent portion for the Mark Creek Flume. See FINANCIAL, page 4
Thefts from Increases in City utility costs coming vehicles FINANCIAL PLAN
New parcel tax to fund infrastructure replacement coming in 2015 C AROLYN GR ANT editor@dailybulletin.ca
Utility costs will be rising in the next few years with Council introducing a new parcel tax in 2015, and an increase in user fees. One of the major challenges facing municipalities is aging infrastructure, and somehow finding the money in increasingly tight budgets to pay for necessary upgrades or replacement. While preparing the new Fi-
nancial Plan, Kimberley’s Mayor and Council approved a ten year, water, sewer infrastructure and fleet plan. The plan indicated a need to increase funding of water infrastructure $369,491 and sewer infrastructure $118,890 in 2015 with a 3.5 per cent inflationary factor going forward. Therefore, a new water and sewer parcel tax will be introduced in 2015 to provide sustained funding to replace Kimberley’s aging utility infrastructure. This $107.59 parcel tax will be added to the yearly property tax statement in 2015. It will rise slightly each year to $119.97 in 2018. In addition, fleet replacement expenses will be covered
by an increase in user fees. The Water and sewer department has a small fleet comprised of mostly pickup trucks and the vactor truck, but it also utilizes equipment from the general fund fleet as needed without contributing to the operational cost of the fleet, which was approximately 37.5 per cent of general fund fleet costs in 2013. The plan indicated a need to fund fleet costs of $203,132 for water and $113,324 for sewer in 2015 with a 2.5 per cent inflationary factor going forward. These amounts include funds to create a fleet replacement reserve and to reimburse the general fund for operating costs related to actual use of the general fund fleet.
Solid waste has been billed out at $13.50 per quarter since 1991. A review of the solid waste collection operation is expected to occur in 2014. The financial plan has included increases of $0.90 per quarter each year going forward and will be updated. What this means for utility bills is that in 2014, tax payers will be billed $161.60 quarterly for a total of $645.60. In 2015, quarterly payments will rise to $186.45 for a yearly total of $745.80. By 2018, fees will be $200.25 for $801. The additional parcel tax will not be included in the utility bills but as part of the yearly property tax bills.
C AROLYN GR ANT editor@dailybulletin.ca
Don’t leave valuables in your vehicle. It is a constant refrain from police. Even when you are doing something like taking a walk on a trail, you are leaving your vehicle vulnerable to theft. Kimberley RCMP are reporting that a number of thefts from vehicles are occurring in and around Marysville hiking areas, including Rails to Trails. Unattended vehicles left at trail parking areas have had windows smashed and purses or other valuables stolen while owners were on the trails. “Kimberley RCMP are advising trail users to ensure they do not leave valuables inside their vehicles.,” said Kimberley RCMP Cpl. Chris Newel. If anyone has any information on the individual(s) responsible please contact Kimberley RCMP (250 427-4811)