Council will request that the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen proceed with the administrative steps necessary to established a shared local service to fund operations of the Frank Venables Theatre – but stopped short of setting an upper limit to funding.

A. A bylaw is necessary to establish a joint service that would take effect January 1st 2015

B. Once the bylaw is passed at the Regional District and approved in Victoria – local voter approval be obtained through a referendum in November

C. That the referendum question be put to the electorate of Rural Area C and the Town together – needing a simple majority + 1 approval of all that cast a ballot (corrected)

D. The funding limit be discussed with Area Director Allan Patton and the RDOS and come back to council as a joint recommendation.

The first budget is expected to be about $100,000 for 2015. An upper funding limit can be set to allow for changes and inflation over a 10 to 30 year period. All tax requisitions must be agreed to by the Town of Oliver and the Regional District – in a similar fashion to other joint services ~ Heritage and Parks.

Town Manager Tom Szalay says:
1. The referendum to establish a new service bylaw DOES NOT require 2/3 majority. It is a simple majority of 50% plus 1 of all votes cast. The 2/3 majority discussed in the council report is the vote of directors at the RDOS board table required to hold a joint referendum instead of two separate referenda in Oliver and Area C.
2. The ongoing budget request for the theatre beyond 2014, DOES include funding for a full-time manager to operate, promote, sell , book and look after the theatre for the maximum  benefit of the community.