Wednesday, March 11, 2015
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Volume 95 - No. 10
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www.ldnews.net
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$1.30 GST inc.
BURNS LAKE
LAKES DISTRICT NEWS LDSS students win provincials Lakes District Secondary School (LDSS) students brought home three provincial banners from a snowboarding competition in Revelstoke, B.C., from March 2 to 4.
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Residents complain about arena regs
Burns Lake Champions
The Burns Lake Bruins are the 2014/2015 Northwest District Bantam Tier 4 League and Zone Champions. The boys are now getting ready for the Tier 4 Bantam Provincial Championship in Fraser Lake from March 14 to 20, 2015. SUBMITTED PHOTO
Some community members have expressed dissatisfaction regarding the regulations for private ice rental services at the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena in Burns Lake.
Burns Lake’s provisional budget approved
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FLAVIO NIENOW
Chamber has new board of directors
Council decided to increase residential tax rates by one per cent, and not to increase commercial tax rates
Village council approved the Burns Lake’s 2015 provisional budget in council chambers on March 3, 2015. Council decided to not increase commercial tax rates while increasing residential, utility, major industry and recreation/non-profit tax rates by one per cent. The Village of Burns Lake has managed to keep residential tax rates under a two per cent increase over the last few years. In 2014, there was a zero per cent increase; In 2013, the increase was of one per cent; In 2012, the increase was of zero per cent;
And in 2011, there was a two per cent increase. At the start of the meeting, council was looking at a two per cent increase for residential tax rates but decided to keep that increase at one per cent and raise service fees instead. Services offered at the Lakeside Multiplex, Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena, and the Burns Lake Curling Club will see an increase of 10 per cent effective July 1, 2015. A day pass at the Lakeside Multiplex for nonmembers currently costs $5.50. With the new rate, a day pass will cost $6.05. Three months membership at the Lakeside Multiplex currently costs $80, but with the new rate, it will cost $88. Administrative services such as business licenses will also see an increase of 10 per cent. Right now a business licence for one year in Burns Lake costs $100; After July 1, a one-year business license will cost $110. Services offered by public works such as garbage collection, garbage bin sales, cemetery, building permits and animal license will not be increased in 2015. By increasing certain service fees by 10 per cent, the village will generate an extra annual income of
It’s Continuing Education Calling!
$12,137 from the Tom Forsyth Memorial Arena; $1585 from the curling club; $16,926 from the Lakeside Multiplex and $3100 from administrative services - totalling $33,748 annually. However, the village will only receive $16,874 in 2015 since the increases will not be effective before July 2015. While some councillors said they felt the village should wait until the Lakeside Multiplex completed a year before raising fees, other councillors said they felt it was fair to increase recreation user fees since wages at the Lakeside Multiplex have increased significantly in 2015. Recreation wages for 2015 total $176,884, compared to $41,644 in 2014 - an increase of almost 325 per cent. When adding arena wages ($159,656), curling club wages ($32,677), and recreation wages ($176,884) for 2015, the total budget for wages at the recreation complex is $369,227, compared to $226,020 in 2014. Other budget increases include the salary of the Burns Lake fire chief - from $73,980 in 2014 to $77,251 in 2015. There were no wage increases to office workers, chief administrative officer and department heads ...see VILLAGE BUDGET ▼ P3
Greg Brown is the new president of the Burns Lake and District Chamber of Commerce. Alice Harris is the new treasurer, and Tammy Downton is the new secretary.
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Occupational First Aid Level 1 ............................. March 25, April 22, ......................................................................... May 13, May 21, May 30 OFA Transportion Endorsement ...March 15, May 14, May 31, June 18 Telephone Techniques..............................................................April 15 Conservation & Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE).....April 18 Aboriginal Culture and Protocols ...........................................April 23
Visit the web for more info.
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