If you counted the politicians 3, reporters 2, staff 1 from a list of 14 – you are left with 8 taxpayers who attended the RDOS Area C Budget Meeting in Oliver Tuesday night.

Pictured above RDOS Chief Financial Officer Sandy Croteau and Rural Area Director Allan Patton – holding up graphics designed for the 2014 budget presentations around the region.

The presentation talked to increases in budgets and tax requisitions. Local rural taxpayers can expect an average increase of $50 on an average home in Area C according to Croteau.

Did you know? – there are 135 separate budgets for the RDOS with a total operating budget of $27.7 million dollars up about $100,000 from the previous year. (some areas cutting budgets – other increasing them)

In Area C – The budget could rise by $115 thousand dollars mainly because of debt for the Venables Theatre project and a grant in aid for operating costs. Many of the other Area C budget lines are up as well including parks, heritage and garbage operations.

Tipping fees will increase $23 a tonne but garbage/recycling will fall $15 a tonne.

Questions centered around what can the RDOS do about trails, electrical rate increases and the governance of the new community theatre.

Patton said he prefers the Parks Board model for the theatre – 3 town, 3 rural, 1 OIB and one SD#53 but he says other people have a different idea but nothing is firm on that. Patton agreed that the RDOS could take a stronger position when talking to FortisBC – but he asserted “they do what they want” and don’t really listen to local politicians. It was suggested that more communication could be sent to the BC Utilities Commission on that subject.

On the development of trails, Patton stated he is committed to working more on the Master Plan in the RDOS and solving some of the problems of linking paths together.