THE www.keremeosreview.com PM Agreement #40012521
Review Vol.17
We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage
Number 8
$1.15 including GST
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Good news for the Grist Mill Tara Bowie Review Staff
The mood went from sombre to celebratory as members of the Grist Mill Foundation found out the heritage site will run under current management for at least a year or possibly 10. After months of waiting current manager Chris Mathieson received word his contract was being renewed for April 1 by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations. He told board members at their regular meeting at the heritage site Monday afternoon. “The single most important thing is to say a big thank you to the community. I have no doubt that the incredible showing of support they have for this site is what ensured this for us going forward,” he said. The good news couldn’t have come soon enough as board members had congregated at the site to brainstorm innovative ideas to lobby the government to make a decision, Dave Cursons, chair of the Grist Mill Foundation said. “We’re greatly relieved,” he said. “Today’s meeting was going to be about what we were going to do to move this along but this appears to have come to a happy continuance.” Although the lease is only guaranteed for one-year, the Foundation feels confident Mathieson will be able to secure the property for the next 10 years. “We’re thinking of this as 10 years and we’re happy about it,” Cursons said. Mathieson Heritage Services, owned by Mathieson, has had stewardTara Bowie ship of the Grist Mill since 2013. Staff and Grist Mill Foundation members celebrate with a glass of heritage apple cider moments after it was During that time he’s held many successful events and over the last made public Monday that the heritage site’s contract has been renewed with Mathieson Heritage Services. Left to right, Chris Mathieson, Denis O’Gorman, Celia Pattenden, Joyce Barton, Dave Cursons, Flo Winfrey, and Marilyn Basztura.
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Keremeos council votes for 5% property tax increase Tara Bowie Review Staff
After some debate council unanimously voted in favour of a 5% increase in village property taxes. The tax increase on the average home in Keremeos assessed at $208,000 will equal roughly $38 annually or an additional $3 a month on top of what property owners are already paying. Novice councillor Jason Wiebe was quick to point out during conversations before the vote that with other anticipated increases coming from the Regional District, Interior Health and possibly school board, ratepayers are looking at an almost 25% increase. “People are going to freak out about that. I know that most of that isn’t us but they don’t understand
that. Maybe we could do a 3% this year and then a 5% next year,” he said. Laurie Taylor, CAO for the village, explained putting off the increase would just delay the inevitable. “We are getting further and further behind and if we keep putting it off we’re just looking at an even larger increase,” she said. “Unfortunately this makes it tough for politicians.” Rob Hager, the village Chief Financial Officer, said the reason for the larger than normal increase was to ensure enough taxes were being collected to complete projects outlined in the strategic plan. “We know this is significant for residents. We recognize that but if we don’t we will deplete reserves,” he said.
Without the increase over the next several years the village would be out approximately $100,000 in reserve funds for capital projects. “We’ve been looking at a fiveyear business plan relatively closely during this process. We think this will be a one-time increase,” Hager said. The last significant increase occurred in 2012 when the previous council voted to increase taxes by 3%. “The staff is giving us the reality and you have to decide whether you want to be liked or not liked,” Mayor Manfred Bauer said to council members before the vote. “Raising taxes is never popular.” Eventually all council members agreed to raise taxes by 5%. “I’m OK with 5%. It’s either pay me now or pay me later,” Councillor Arlene Arlow said moments before
the vote. A few adjustments are required for the budget before it is finalized. Included in capital projects this year are a new alarm system for the Visitor Centre for $6,760; playground impact material $3,800; stone trash receptacles and planters, $3,800; pole mounted banners $6,000; pole mounted Christmas lights, $7,000; village square pole replacement, $6,900; energy efficient audit, $3,600; waste water treatment plant $4,600; upgrades to Victory Hall flooring, $3,500; Geo Tech Services on roads to improve budget forecasting, $10,000; winter sand supply, $12,500; accessible door opener for the Visitor Information Centre, $3,000 and Accessible washroom door at Victory Hall, $3,000. The village will receive a vari-
ety of grants from government and other sources for large capital projects expected complete in the next year. The list of large projects includes sewer lift station upgrades, $96,000; road rehabilitation for 4th Street between 12th and 11th Avenue, $99,307 and on 10th Avenue between Boundary Road and 1st Street, $40,845; design water main project, $13,420; wastewater treatment plant physical condition assessment, $30,000; pump replacement in main pumping station, $12,000; resurface three blocks of dirt road with recycled asphalt, $29,456; recycle waste concrete, $11,200; wastewater treatment plant rebuilding headworks, $20,000 and waste water treatment plant treatment sludge pump, $25,000.