Decisions and Discussions from Tuesday February 11

1.  Grant requests: Council agreed to a request from the Okanagan Portuguese Club for a small grant to pay civic taxes for 2014. Council has also agreed to put the Club on the list for qualification for tax exempt status in 2015 and beyond. A second request for a grant in aid from the SO Community Foundation in the amount of $5000 (a sharing in the cost of a staff member) was not agreed to at this time.)

2. Tax rate for 2014 – The chief financial officer gave Council a number of options on how this year’s tax rate could be set. Council said stick with the 1.5% increase in spending. Based on this decision – the average home will pay about $1.71 more than last year and commercial properties $34.58 more. One interesting fact is that the value of property in the town has fallen about $16 million in value (Assessments determined by the BC Assessment Authority). The municipality then sets a tax rate to generate the revenue needed to pay the bills.

3. Average home value set at $282,857. Average municipal tax is $417.56

4. Fire Hall expansion – Council reviewed simple plans and an estimate on the construction of extension to the present building to house two more pieces of equipment. That estimate from 3 Bar Construction in the amount of $72 thousand. Council stated that the money would come from reserves and would not affect taxes. Council had a lengthy discussion on process and how this project got to the table. The Manager was instructed to review past organizational reviews and write a letter to the Oliver Fire Department giving instruction on how capital matters should be determined and processed as the building is owned by the Town and all firemen are considered employees.

5. Canadian Cancer Society holds the annual Relay for Life in Osoyoos every year but is now asking Oliver to consider sharing this responsibility in alternating years. This would help out with the workload and bring a competitive spirit to the South Okanagan according to organizer Chantel Reems. A meeting will be held on the subject after the June 7th event. The Osoyoos Relay for Life has raised $305 thousand in ten years.

6.  Council has given permission to Moresby Fuels to set up a key lock fuel depot in the new industrial area off Maple Street. The use fits the M2 Zoning and only a variance was needed for the office and store building at the rear of the property. The building is 96 square metres and is 3.66 metres high at peak of roof. The tank farm will be contained inside a fenced area (wire with wood slates).

7. Preliminary approval given to a revised Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw – modernizing the bylaw that was written 24 years ago. One notable change is that sidewalks will not be required unless the subdivided land is on or near an area designated for sidewalk/path extension.

8.  Strategic Plan for first quarter of the year approved (see story elsewhere)