Earlier this week I posted a link to the entire 2016 Regional District Budget.

Not a lot of response.

Tomorrow, Directors move to the Penticton Lakeside Resort (because of the noise of construction at the RDOS offices) to add and delete items from the draft budget – change orders requested by staff/management and grants in aid from regional organizations seeking cash support.

Today my analysis of proposed spending for our area.

A disclaimer: hard to make 1 to 1 comparisons.

Oliver (Town) represented by Municipal Director Ron Hovanes goes into this round with a request of 1.844 million dollars in regional services including Parks and Recreation, Heritage, Solid Waste Management, 911 Emergency, Trails, Frank Venables Theatre.

Oliver (Rural) represented by Regional Director Terry Schafer is requesting 1.478 million dollars but includes more than the Town’s request – planning, general government, building inspection, mosquito control, rural projects, grants in aid, noise and unsightly bylaw enforcement.

The best comparison are year to year.

Oliver (Town) – that budget up 92,228 and Oliver (rural) up 69,689

Why? Mainly to fund a new weight room, parks plan implementation, and arena fixes

Looking at the OPRS figures in isolation:

Combined totals:

Recreation Hall – 266559 up $84 thousand
Oliver Parks – 285404 up $36 thousand
Arena – 305576 up $33 thousand
Recreation Program – 123559 – up $18 thousand
Oliver Pool – 203138 up $10 thousand

2016 combined: 1.184 million dollars
2015 combined: 1.001 million dollars
Increase: 182,391 dollars