By ROY WOOD

An updated official community plan (OCP) for the Town of Oliver will have to wait till 2016 after proposals from consulting firms came in well over budget.

Planning director Chris Garrish told council the response to the August request for proposals (RFP) was “underwhelming to say the least.”

In his submission to council, Garrish pointed out that OCPs are typically updated every five to 10 years. The last time it was done in Oliver was in 2002, meaning it is well past time for an update.

Just two proposals were submitted by the Sept. 30 deadline: one from SSG Arlington of Vancouver for $67,500; and one from SmithPlan of Oliver for $76,000. The budget for the AFP was set at $45,000.

Garrish said the town received inquiries from several consulting firms, but when they heard the budgeted amount they decided “to walk away.”.

He said the owner of SmithPlan is a former senior municipal official who only recently began consulting.

He was willing to trim his proposal to fit the budget. However, what was left didn’t meet the town’s minimum criteria for its OCP, said Garrish.

Council agreed with the senior staff recommendation to postpone the new OCP for a year and, in the meantime, budget another $45,000 for the project so that next year there will be $90,000 available.

An OCP, according to a provincial government website is “a statement of objectives and policies to guide decisions on planning and land use management.”