EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Settling ponds dropped from water plant plan Page 3
Students in the pink to help stop bullying Page 6
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 PM40008236
Vol. 60 No. 9 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Out of play: Sicamous Eagles Justin Wilde is unable to get the puck past Kamloops Storm goalie Jacob Mullen in game four of the teams’ division semi-finals playoff run. The Eagles were knocked out in game five. See page 9 for more. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Council budgeting for public safety improvements Deliberations: Sicamous residents facing potential 1.85 per cent increase in municipal tax. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Sicamous Mayor Terry Rysz says he campaigned on improving public safety in the community, and it appears that will be reflected in the district’s 2015 budget. Improvements to health care, the fire department and pedestrian safety are all being looked at by the mayor and council during their deliberations for the upcoming budget, along with the ongoing upgrades to the water treatment plant. Though the final budget has yet to receive final approval by council, Rysz says every line item in the budget has already been heavily scrutinized at the finance committee level not only by the current council, but by the former council as well. “It’s been handled by two different councils and both groups have done very well,”
said Rysz. “I’m really pleased with the amount of debate and discussion and deliberation they’ve had over this entire budget, and the hard work that (district chief financial officer) Kelly Bennett has done – she’s done an amazing job.” A municipal tax increase appears inevitable this year – potentially 1.85 per cent – after no increase in 2014. “We’re trying to keep it under the two per cent figure,” said Rysz. “We’re hoping it can be one to two per cent next year. I think a slow burn is the way to go… just a slight increase each year is the direction I’d like to take and I think we can accomplish that.” A recent addition to the budget is $30,000 to assist in the acquisition of community doctors through company Global Medics. Rysz says the recruiter’s fee is $15,000 per doctor. The budget amount re-
win-win situation… We’ve had a lot of discussion; it’s time to act. And I think this is a way to do it and I think the community will be in full support.” I think a slow burn is the While the hiring of a full-time fire way to go… just a slight chief has been debated, and subsequentincrease each year is the ly turned down, by past councils, for direction I’d like to take and I 2015 the current council has budgeted think we can accomplish that.” additional money ($70,000 total) for the Terry Rysz position. Rysz says there’s ample room Mayor in budgeted reserves to accommodate this move, which would address not flects two. only fire events, but also the potential for “The key element to this is that it costs increased traffic-related incidents. us $15,000, but when we sign the contract, “It’s a bit costly but, my opinion on it, that is when we have to release the money. with the dynamics changing in Sicamous, It’s a two-stage process,” explained Rysz. not just with fires, but from a safety point “If they find an applicant, we pay them of view, I think the extremes are going to $7,500. If we sign the applicant we pay him be more so in the future with this highway another $7,500. If we don’t sign the appliSee Full-time fire chief on page 2 cant, we get the $7,500 back. It’s kind of a