By ROY WOOD

The Oliver and District Heritage Society told town council Monday that it would be seeking a 14 per cent increase in funding for next year.

Society director Dave Mattes told a council committee that the society has been “starved financially” by previous councils and that an increase is needed in a number of areas, including staff salaries and benefits, collections supplies and funding for a capital reserve.

Draft budget documents presented to council show an increase in the annual tax levy for the society going from $127,300 in 2015 to $145,000 in 2016.

The levy is paid by residents of the town and the Area C of the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen. The decision on funding will be made by the RDOS board. Including Oliver Mayor Ron Hovanes and Area C director Terry Schafer.

“It would amount to about four dollars per household,” Mattes said.

The not-for-profit society operates the museum and the archives in the town of Oliver.

Society chair Sue Morhun took some time before the budget presentation to “share some of our success” with council. They included:

• A near tripling of the number of visitors to the two facilities this year over last;
• Society membership growth of 13 per cent;
• Secured grants to hire three summer students instead of the usual two; and
• Successful summer day camp for kids in partnership with the Royal BC Museum.