Revelstoke Theatre Company performing six nights of the Snow Queen, starting Thursday - 20
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Wed., February 25, 2015 www.revelstoketimesreview.com Vol. 118, No. 8
50 0 1 6
TIMESReview
78195
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7
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Peewee champs- 16
City introduces draft budget The draft financial plan, in numbers:
2
per cent tax increase for residential and commercial
4.3 $22 per cent tax increase in utility rates
million in operating expenses
ALEX COOPER
editor@revelstoketimesreview.com
“This really turned the fire around for us,” he said. The fire was extinguished and overhauled in a little more than three hours, with no injuries to any fire fighters. The building was empty when the fire broke out. “The career and volunteer firefighters worked tirelessly on this fire and I am proud of what they accomplished given the circumstances,” said Girard. “We realize how important this facility is to the community.” The fire destroyed the roof of the building, said Girard. The equipment did not experience any fire damage, but “it has severe water damage,” he added. The cause of the fire is being investigated. RCEC manager Larry Marchand had yet to inspect the damage as of press time. “We’re not really at that point yet. We’re not supposed
The City of Revelstoke’s draft financial plan calls for a tax increase of two percent for 2015, with no new borrowing scheduled and an operating surplus of about $1 million. The five-year financial plan was posted to the City of Revelstoke website last Wednesday afternoon in advance of a special council meeting held Friday, Feb. 20. The draft can be read at on the Times Review website. The plan calls for a two per cent tax increase on almost all property classes, except major industrial, which will see its taxes decrease by 6.99 per cent. Water and sewer rates are scheduled to increase by 4.3 per cent, while garbage fees will go up by two per cent. Water rates are scheduled to rise to $575 by 2019 to pay for rising capital costs. The plan calls for an increase in operating expenses to $21,941,558 in 2015, from the $21,074,107 that was budgeted last year. The list of scheduled capital projects includes $7 million to replace the arena roof in 2017 and $4.5 million to move the sewer outflow to the Columbia River from the Illecillewaet River. Significantly, it calls for $1,735,000 to be spent on city hall renovations over the next four years. The financial plan calls for $800,000 to be borrowed from the city’s land sale reserve in 2015 to help pay for the renovations, money that would be paid back, with interest, over the following four years. The cost includes the exterior stucco replacement, elevator and moving council chambers to city hall. Last year’s budget pegged the cost of renovations at $800,000. Other projects in the five-year capital plan for 2015 are: — $1.2 million in 2019 to expand the sewage treatment plant; — $1 million from 2016–19 for various fire flow projects; — $1 million over the next four years to replace the Downie force main; — $650,000 in 2016 to bring water to the Thomas Brook area; — $550,000 in 2015 to replace the water main that heads across the Illecillewaet River to Arrow Heights; — $500,000 in 2016 to replace a fire truck; — $300,000 over the next five years to replace fire hydrants; — $225,000 in 2016 to replace the water tender;
see Fire, page 14
see Budget, page 4
Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services personnel battle a blaze at the Revelstoke Community Energy Corporation heating plant early Monday morning. The new aerial truck was deployed to tackle the fire from above. Revelstoke fire rescue services
Fire causes severe damage to RCEC ALEX COOPER
editor@revelstoketimesreview.com
A fire late Sunday night caused serious damage to the Revelstoke Community Energy Corporation heating plant. Fire chief Rob Girard says Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services were called to the fire shortly before midnight on Sunday, Feb. 22. “Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy smoke pouring from all sides of the building and began an interior fire attack,” said Girard. “Within minutes the fire conditions changed and and we had heavy fire in the roof of the structure and had to withdraw our interior fire crew and transitioned to an exterior attack.” A team of 23 fire fighters and full complement of vehicles attended the fire. The department made use of its new aerial ladder truck to attack the blaze from above.
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